Sorry for the interruption to the other story, but I had to hit this for halloween...Posting two chapters a day, including halloween. I am going to let you pick the ending, whether or not you want it T or M-A trick or treat of sorts! Not proofread by my Harley or Jenny, purely due to time constraints, so bear with my mistakes, please!
Chapter 1
AN: Dedicated to Lilblossomcub, who requested a halloween MG story. Here you go...
She stood in front of the mirror and adjusted her shiny black wig and leather mask. She didn't look anything like her usual self; she was going to floor the people at the party tonight. It was exactly what she needed. She wasn't too happy with who she was at the moment.
"I'm sorry, Penelope," Kevin had said a week ago, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I thought we were meant to be. I thought we'd be forever."
"We are," she'd replied, more out of fear than love. She hadn't wanted to be alone- a me instead of an us. "We-"
"No, dumpling, we're not." The tears had magically disappeared, to be replaced by a tight lipped frown. "If we were forever, you wouldn't run when Derek Morgan snaps his fingers. Just the other day, when he needed help with Spicer's daughter-"
"Ellie," Pen had interjected. Kevin had had a way of making that poor little girl sound like a nonentity. It had driven Pen crazy; why hadn't he understood she was just helping a friend?
He'd rolled his eyes at her. "Whatever. The fact is: he needs you; I go on the back burner. He wants so much more than friendship from you, Penny. He always did."
"That's not true!"
Ignoring her, he'd continued, "Penelope. It's him or me. Easy decision on your behalf."
Pen remembered thinking that moment was a very poor one for Kevin to finally grow a pair. She had been so not in the mood. She'd been exhausted. The case with Spicer had taken a lot out of her, but she'd needed to be there for Derek, and for Ellie, too.
He'd taken a step closer, so that his nose was lined up with hers. "Either you chose a player who has fucked three quarters of the FBI, or you chose a man who has loved you for almost four years." His eyes narrowed under his glasses. "Make your choice."
Penelope did not take well to ultimatums. She hated them, almost as much as she hated being in this situation in the first place. She hadn't lied to herself. She'd wanted more with Derek. She'd teased him about it, and he'd teased back, but she wasn't fool enough to think he was serious.
Kevin had obviously thought differently- or maybe he was just a fool.
She'd made her decision, keeping her best friend and turning away what she'd thought to be a perfect match for her. He'd moved every trace of himself out of her apartment, and out of her life; and she'd consumed a pint of Godiva Chocolate Ice Cream.
The situation had called for dragging out the big guns.
Three weeks later, Prentiss had mentioned a Halloween bash at Daugherty's Pub. Pen had still been down, and she'd kept mum to the reason why. Mentioning her breakup would definitely bring out the inevitable question of why and she wasn't ready to answer that. She'd told JJ, who no longer worked at the BAU, but still had lunch regularly with her.
And she'd kept her chin up at work, although it didn't work at all. She'd had Derek in her office, rubbing her shoulder, asking why she was so tense, begging for her to talk to him, and being so sweet, she'd started to fall for him even harder. She couldn't tell him, of all people, what happened. He'd feel bad, and awkward around her, and she didn't want that.
"It's a masquerade! It's going to be so much fun. You have to go," Prentiss had pleaded.
"I don't really-"
"C'mon!" she'd said impatiently. "No one will know who you are, it'll be an adventure. Incognito. Pleeeeeeeeease?"
When Prentiss batted her big brown eyes like she'd done at that moment, Penelope couldn't refuse.
Now, looking at her black leather clad body in the skin tight catsuit, the dark black cat eye makeup, and her hair and mask, it seemed the right thing to do. She looked damn hot, and felt very, very sexy. She didn't even recognize tonight, and tonight only, she could be someone else…
And not the woman with the impossible, incurable, and unrequited love for the hottest man in the FBI.
Penelope prowled into the pub, her black boots making little clicking noises on the tile of the entryway. The moment the doors opened, the throb of the music and flashing of the strobe lights dwarfed any outside influence.
A gargoyle barked at her. "Ten dollars, please."
Reaching into her little belt purse, she withdrew the fee and handed it to the aptly costumed door guard.
"Have fun, kitty," he said with a leer. It was only then she noticed he wasn't really wearing much of a costume!
She tried to make her way to the bar, but was thwarted by a few goblins and ghouls that hit on her, too. It made her smile, and bolstered her courage even more.
A waitress in a very skimpy French maid costume was carrying a tray of green drinks in test tubes. They had smoke coming out of them. "Want one?"
"Sure," Pen said, handing her the money for it and shooting it down. It was rather tasty, like caramel apples and something with heat behind it.
She licked her lips, then headed to the bar, where a very handsome vampire was standing.
"Hello…kitty," he said, a smile on his handsome face. He was blonde with contacts in that made his eyes a rather scary red. He was wearing a half mask over the upper part of his face, like everyone else was tonight. "Can I buy you a drink?"
"That would be purrrrrfect," she answered, playing up the part.
"What would you like?" He grinned at her. "Something with catnip?"
"A fuzzy navel would be fine," she answered. "We kitties like our furry bellies."
He laughed, then turned to order.
"I wouldn't accept drinks from just any man here, sugar," a deep and familiar voice murmured behind her. "They're all out for blood."
She turned to see the most gorgeous pirate she'd ever seen. He had on a red bandana on his head, a billowy shirt, and his usual tight black jeans, and of course, a half mask. His jaw was darkened with stubble, and he was currently flashing his perfect white teeth at her. In his ear was a diamond stud; she was taken aback by that. Did he pierce his ear?
The vampire scowled, then handed put her drink on the bar.
She smiled and lowered her voice. "Oh, I don't know, handsome. They seem nice enough." She turned back to the vampire and received her drink.
"Good choice, sweetheart," the vampire said.
She heard his chuckle as he said, "You must be new around here. I better protect you."
She almost choked on her drink. New here? Did he not recognize her? She knew she looked different tonight, but Derek… he was her best friend. He had to recognize her.
Her heart started beating faster and her mind started to race. If he didn't recognize her, if he didn't know, this could be something to explore, something to see, without any consequences to her. If he didn't know, she could find out things she'd always wanted to know. Like what it felt like to be wanted by Derek Morgan. What it felt like to dance with him in his slow, sexy way.
What it felt like to be kissed by him.
Dropping her voice another notch, she turned back and smiled at him. "I don't think I need the protection of a pirate."
"Oh, sweetheart, I insist. Pirate's code," he said holding up a long fingered hand, a sexy smirk gracing his lips. "We see something we like, we carry it off."
Her lips twitched. "Like some wench?"
"No, honey. Like treasure," he answered smoothly. "And I can't wait to get my hands on your booty."
She burst out laughing; it was so lame, but so cute. "Really."
"Mmm hmmm," he said, reaching for her hand and pulling her away from both the bar and the protesting vampire. "How about on the dance floor?"
