Moments in the Woods

by pandorabox82

Erin is mourning for something that was never really hers, wishing for a time before John Curtis had tried to kill her. When Derek Morgan comes to her, offering her a brief respite from her longing, she jumps at the chance. But will their moment in the woods turn into something lasting?

Erin reached out and ran her fingers across the picture of her and David. It had only been a few weeks since they had split up, but she felt as if it were years. Sighing deeply, she leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling as she tried to control the tears that threatened to fall. She should be over the pain, over the rejection, but without alcohol, her senses had become so sharpened, so close to the surface, that she had a hard time controlling them. Especially when it came to matters of the heart.

Someone softly knocked on her door, and Erin sat up, looking towards them. "Oh, Agent Morgan. What can I do for you?"

He came in and shut the door before taking a seat in front of her. "I wanted to check in on you, Ma'am. It's been a while since we've been able to talk." She nodded as he continued. "And I know that your heart is hurting. I can tell that from the way you look at us, at Rossi."

She bit her lip as she shrugged. "I guess I'm not as good at hiding as I used to be. You saw behind the veil, so to speak, and you know my secrets."

"Not all of them."

"There is that, Agent Morgan."

He cocked his head to the side as he looked, really looked, at her. "Please, call me Derek." There was a softness, an openness, to his face that made her heart lurch a little.

"All right, Derek. I suppose, if you want, you can call me Erin." She winced to hear the hesitancy, the uncertainty, in her voice, knowing that wasn't who she was. The breakup had discombobulated her more than she knew, she supposed, and she looked away from him, not able to watch the way he watched her.

"I would like that." She heard him get up and come around to her side and she looked over at him. "How are the cravings today?"

"They've been waning again, as I get used to being alone. Thank you for asking me." She tried to smile, but felt it came out as more like a grimace. Derek reached out and traced a finger along her cheekbone, and she closed her eyes, relishing the soft touch.

"How long has it been since you had a tender touch?"

"Weeks. My children are all away from me." Erin sighed deeply, wishing that he would keep touching her. "I never realized how much I needed moments like these until they were gone. I miss him so much."

Derek's hand stilled on her cheek and she unconsciously nuzzled her face against him. "Oh, Erin." She opened her eyes and saw him staring at her. His eyes were sad and lovely and she couldn't stop herself from leaning in and kissing him gently. It didn't take long for him to deepen the kiss, pulling her off her chair and onto his lap.

"You taste good," she said lowly when they'd broken the kiss. He chuckled and that set her off into a fit of giggles. It felt good to let go of her emotions and he seemed to pick up on her need to let go. "Could we…" Her voice trailed off as she felt a hot blush of embarrassment bloom across her cheeks.

"Steal a moment in the woods?" he asked, finishing her thought. Erin pulled away from him a little, staring into his whiskey brown eyes, finding no hint of mockery there. Slowly, she nodded and he smiled at her, something softer than his usual cocky grin. "Pretty Lady, all you ever had to do was ask."

Sighing, Erin nodded and stood up, holding out her hand to Derek. He accepted it and stood himself, tugging her to his side and splaying his hand possessively out on her back. "I need to grab my purse," she murmured, reaching out to her desk drawer. He leaned down and opened it, pulling out her purse and handing it to her. "We can't go out there like this. Everyone will know what's up."

"Do you mind that?"

"A little. I'm still the Section Chief, after all." She looked up at him, and noticed the gentle concern in his eyes. "You'll undo me if you keep looking at me like that. I didn't realize that I meant something to you."

He stilled her lips with his finger, his smile widening. "After everything you went through to return to us, to claw and scrape your way to wellness, how could I not feel something for you? Along the way, it might have deepened into something a little more. I don't know yet, but I'd like the opportunity to try."

She nodded, blinking back tears. One escaped, though, and he caught it before it rolled down her cheek very far. "I think I'd like that very much, Derek. But I still wish to maintain some semblance of propriety for the moment."

"I understand, Erin." She smiled at the way her name rolled off his lips and leaned in to kiss him softly once more before heading for the door. Helen looked up from her paperwork and she turned a gentle smile on her.

"Are you heading out for the day, then?" she asked, setting aside the file that she was working on.

"Yes. Agent Morgan has asked me out to a working supper, and I plan on taking full advantage of the pleasure." Helen gave her a secretive smile, as if she knew the true intent behind Erin's words. "Take off early today, too, why don't you? There's not much happening here, after all."

"Sounds like a plan, Erin."

She nodded to her and then sailed from the room, anticipation and nervousness warring inside her. Erin jumped a little when, as soon as the doors to the elevator closed, Derek closed his arm around her waist, tugging her tightly to his side. "Derek?"

"Just reminding myself that this is real, Erin." She sighed a little and rested her head on his chest. "That you are here, in my arms, choosing to go home with me."

There was something so insecure in his voice, as if he was really amazed that she had made this choice, and she pulled away from him, looking up into his eyes. They were full of pain, and she gasped lightly before reaching up to cradle his cheek in her hand. "Derek, what's eating at your heart?"

He shrugged and shook his head, and she felt quick tears come to her eyes as she continued to gaze at him. "I don't trust people, Erin."

"I don't, either." His eyes closed and he let his head come down to rest against her. "What a fine pair we make, Derek." He nodded and then pulled her into a hug. She let him hold onto her until the doors opened, and then she took hold of his hand and let him lead her over to his truck. Ever the gentleman, he helped her up into the cab and she settled in the seat, contorting her body so that she could watch him as he drove.

"Where would you like to go?"

"My place?" she asked, hoping he wouldn't mind her need to feel safe, to feel on some sort of even ground. He nodded quickly and started the truck, pulling out into traffic. The afternoon traffic was quite light and she gave soft directions to him as they went. "We're here," she murmured when he had pulled into her drive.

"What a perfect home." She tried to look at it from his point of view, tried to see the little two story house from his eyes. "You have a front porch and a swing. Do you ever watch sunrises while drinking coffee there?"

She nodded shyly. "Alan never understood how peaceful those mornings were, or how much they meant to me. And David just wanted to spend the entire time making out." She shrugged a little. "But now I'm on my own again, and I can spend my mornings however I choose." Erin turned her face up to look at Derek and saw that he was smiling down at her. Unconsciously, she puckered her lips and he honored the unspoken request, kissing her gently.

"Do I get a tour of the house first?"

"Yes. And maybe supper before we rush into anything. If you wouldn't mind that." She hated sounding like a nervous schoolgirl, hated even more the way she bit her lip.

"That would be very nice." He reached out for her hand and she clasped it tightly, leading him up to the door and quickly unlocked it, bringing him inside.

"Would you take your shoes off, please?" she asked as she stepped out of her heels, setting them in their cubby. He followed suit, positioning his next to the shoe caddy. Once more, she took hold of his hand and then brought it to rest around her waist. Derek took the hint and pulled her tight to him once more and she smiled. "All right, I'll start with the upstairs first, so that we can end up in the kitchen."

"Sounds like a plan to me." His words were soft and warm, soothing her heart instantly, and she sighed with pleasure. Erin guided him over to the stairs and together they made their way upstairs.

"My children still keep their rooms here, even if they don't live with me. Tabitha chose to live with her father when we divorced and Bruce and Karen are both in college this year. Their rooms are on this side of the house, facing the road. We, well, I, thought it would be safer, if something happened."

"Let me guess, Alan didn't agree?"

She shook her head. "We got into an argument. He said that it would be easier for predators to get them that way. In the end, I prevailed, but he was never happy with capitulating. Just like every other time we fought. But I did love him," she said sadly as she led him to the end of the hall. "This is the master bath."

Derek opened the door and peeked his head inside. "Very nice. We'll have to take a bath here together at some point." The calm assurance that there would be a later in their relationship (and when had she seriously begun to think of this as the start of something more?) settled her and she nodded in reply.

"Follow me," she said with a smile, leading him through the door that led to her bedroom. "And this is where I spend my nights." She sighed a little as she drifted over to her bed and sat down. "I'd wanted a four poster bed all my life, but could never convince my parents to get me one. And Alan said it was too frivolous. But the weekend I got out of rehab, I went and bought one for myself. It's one thing I will not give up."

"I would never ask you to, Erin." He sat beside her and then turned his head, kissing her cheek lightly. Their stomachs rumbled nearly in unison and she couldn't help but giggle. Derek's deep laugh began to peal out and she leaned against him, rubbing her cheek against his chest. "Now, what do you have in your fridge?"

"I have pork chops and applesauce. If you'd like to wait a few hours, I could bake us potatoes, too."

"The pork chops will be fine, Pretty Lady." He gently chucked her under her chin and she nodded a little before lifting her head to press her lips against his chin.

"All right, well, let's go." She stood with a sudden burst of motion, making her way to the door before turning to look at him. "Are you coming?"

He chuckled again before standing and closing the distance between them quickly, his arm coming to rest around her waist. A soft blush spread across her cheeks as she led him downstairs. "So, what rooms are down here?"

"Do you want to see them before we fix supper?"

"Sure." She nodded and turned him to the right, leading him to the living room. She grimaced a little when she saw the mess she had left behind that morning, the book that she was currently reading turned upside down to mark her place, her juice glass set next to it. "Sorry about how messy it looks. I forgot to clean up before I left for work."

"Let me guess, you were running late because you just had to finish your chapter?"

Erin looked up into his face, seeing nothing but understanding there, and she slowly nodded. "Guilty."

"I know enough not to interrupt Penelope when she's reading. She once joked that someone who had made the mistake of bothering her in the middle of a good spot had lost their arm. Or at least, I hope she's joking."

"One can never tell. I've often felt that way myself when interrupted in the middle of a really good book." She took him out of the room and around to the sun room. "When it's too cold, I spend my mornings here. I don't get the sunrise, but I can still watch the light come over the land. I never…" Her voice trailed off as she thought about what she had wanted from her relationship with David, and how it had never came to be.

"I hope it's cold tomorrow morning, then." She stiffened a little in his arms and he rubbed her side until she relaxed against him once more. "This seems like the perfect place to cuddle." His lips ghosted across her forehead and she sighed a little.

"That might be nice, Derek." She continued to tour, showing him the downstairs bathroom and the dining room before leading him into the kitchen. Derek leaned against the counter, watching her putter around the room.

"Do you need any help?"

"No, take a seat at the island so that I can watch and talk to you while I prepare our meal." He complied with her command and she smiled at him as she pulled out the skillet and turned the range on, letting it get warm while she pulled out a stick of butter, greasing it before taking out two pork chops and setting them on the pan. The slight sizzle of the meat caused her stomach to growl once more, and she turned to the island and plucked off a few grapes, popping them in her mouth before she grabbed the salt and pepper. "Would you like garlic salt on yours?"

"Whatever seasoning you put on will be fine, I promise. All I care about is getting a home cooked meal." He smiled charmingly at her and she blushed a little as she rummaged through the cupboard to get out the garlic salt instead. As the chops cooked, she unconsciously twitched her hips to an internal beat.

Erin heard him rummaging through her cupboards and she shook her head a little. "The plates are in the cupboard next to the sink."

"Thanks." After a few moments, she heard the drawers being opened, and chuckled a little. "What?"

"Nothing. Utensils are in the drawer next to the dishwasher. And before you go searching, there's an open jar of applesauce in the fridge." She flipped the chops so that the other side could cook and smiled at the familiar noises behind her. "David never let me cook for him, you know. He thought he could do it better."

"Well, that's his loss. Part of the fun of cooking is doing it together. Next time, we'll come up with a dish that we can both work on."

Next time. He was planning on seeing her again. Even though she had sort of been making those connections in her brain, it really became real to her when he said those words. Unable to look at him, she smiled down at the pan and surreptitiously brushed a few tears off her cheeks. "That would be really nice."

Finally, the food was finished, and she plated it, taking the seat next to Derek, since he had prepared it for her. She was surprised when he clasped her hand tightly before saying a quick word of blessing. "This smells wonderful."

"Thanks." She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and then began to eat, unable to find words to make small talk. He seemed to pick up on her mood and he bumped her shoulder with his. Turning her head, Erin saw that he was grinning at her and she couldn't stop the return grin. "I, I hope it tastes all right."

"Perfect." He reached up and brushed his finger against her nose, causing her to smile wider. "So, tell me a little more about what you like to read."

Erin was grateful that he had chosen something neutral for them to talk about, not sure if she was ready to reveal secrets to him. "I'm a closet romance reader. My mother read them like they were candy, so I picked up the habit from her. My favorite author at the moment is Sarah O'Rourke. Though I do enjoy just about any genre, if the author is good. Do you read?"

He shook his head a little. "I never really took to it. I liked watching cartoons more. And then, sports dominated my life. It was the only way…" She turned her head to look at him, wondering if he would continue his thought. The pain evident in his eyes shook her to the core, and she sighed before leaning over and kissing his cheek lightly. "I suppose you watched the press conference I gave in Chicago."

She nodded. "I had to. The Director wanted to make certain that there wasn't anything that would open us up to scrutiny." Her words sounded harsh to her ears, and she saw him wince. "I know, that didn't come out right. But there's really no diplomatic way to say that the Director was hoping that your conference wouldn't create a scandal."

Erin looked down at her plate, embarrassment making the food feel like concrete in her stomach. And then, Derek reached over and caressed her shoulder. "I understand, Erin." She nodded and pushed away her plate, suddenly done with eating. "Do you want me to clean up?"

"Just put everything in the dishwasher," she said absently, cradling her chin in her hand. As she watched, he did just that and then came back to her side. "Are you ready to head upstairs?"

"Only if you are." She raised an eyebrow, and he smiled at her, leaning down to kiss her lips sweetly. "I only want to do this if you want to do this."

"I do." She arched up and captured his lips once more, making sure to pour all the passion and desire that she could into that embrace. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to his side. She slipped off the stool and let him gather her up in his arms as they continued to kiss.

A soft whimper broke from her lips as he picked her up entirely, and she instinctively wound her legs around his waist to anchor herself in place. He chuckled against her lips and then proceeded to carry her upstairs to her room, never breaking the kiss. She pouted a little when he dropped her on the bed and he laughed before leaning in to give her a quick kiss. "You are an insatiable minx, aren't you?"

She shrugged and began to unbutton her blouse. "I'm good with physical pleasures, a little too good." Her eyes slid away from him as she thought about her drinking problem. Closing her eyes, a few tears slipped down her cheeks, and then he was kneeling in front of her and wiping those tears away. "I'm sorry I slapped you that night. I just didn't know how bad my problem had become. I'm glad, in a way, it was you who took me. I'm glad that you could look past that failure and see me."

"Oh, Erin," he murmured, reaching up to slip her blouse off her shoulders. His hands were large and yet gentle and she lolled her head back to look into his eyes. "I'm not good with communicating my feelings, either." And then he was kissing her again, softly, exploring her lips as he pushed her back onto the bed. She raised her arms above her head as he stretched them out along the mattress.

"Sometimes, it's easier to talk through touch," she said huskily as he made short work of her skirt and panties, his eyes never leaving hers. The intimate contact made her feel cherished and she smiled up at him as she lifted her own hands to tug off his shirt, revealing his bare chest. "You are so strong," she breathed out as she ran her hands over the muscles of his arms.

"And you're so soft," he replied as he tugged on the straps of her bra. "May I take this off?" She nodded and sat up a little, resting her head against his chest as he unclasped her bra and tugged it off her body. Gently, he laid her back down and then raked his eyes up and down her chest. "How could Rossi have left this beauty behind?"

She shrugged and then held out her wrist to him, displaying the ugly scar that Curtis had left behind. "He couldn't get past this." Once more, her eyes slid away from his, not wanting to see the rejection there. And so, when he picked up her arm and brought her wrist to his lips, she couldn't stop the tears that clogged her tear ducts.

"This battle scar? He was ashamed of this?" he asked, his lips touching her flesh as he spoke those words. She nodded and felt him kiss the scar once more. "This is evidence of the very hard battle you fought and won to be back with us. Maybe he couldn't get past his guilt of not getting there soon enough."

"Perhaps." His tongue snaked out and traced the scar, and she sighed with pleasure. "Derek?" she asked when she felt him slide off her body.

"It's not fair that I'm still dressed." She turned her head to look at him, watching him fumble with the buckle on his belt before unzipping them and pushing the fabric down his body. She wasn't really surprised that he didn't wear underwear, but she was startled by the closed off way he stood in front of her. "It's easy to be bold, to play a role, when you're fully clothed."

A sudden, overwhelming, wave of understanding swept over her and she began to cry in earnest as she held her arms out to him, welcoming him against her body. "Oh, Der, let me hold you." Her arms closed around his waist and she blindly sought out his lips, kissing him with all the fervor in her body.

As they kissed, she felt him part her legs and she welcomed him in her body, ignoring the slight way he filled her too fully, the way she wasn't quite ready for him, since she knew he needed the comfort of flesh. She tightened her muscles around him, drawing his pleasure out of him. Hot tears splashed down on her face and she reached up and brushed them away before curling her hand around his neck and pulling him down for a kiss.

It didn't take long for him to reach orgasm, and she moaned lowly at the sensation of his essence filling her. "Give me time, Erin," he panted out, pressing his lips to her forehead before beginning to kiss her face. The delicate touches aroused her and she shifted her hips restlessly. He smiled and ran a hand up her side to cup her breast, running his thumb against her nipple until it tightened into a taut point.

"Take all the time you need." He nodded before slipping from her body and brushing his lips down her neck and upper chest. And then, he was engulfing her breast between his lips, his tongue dancing against her nipple. The move caused her body to arch up against his and she smiled as she felt the vibrations of his laughter against her skin.

He left her breasts much too soon for her liking and she pouted a little until he gently spread her legs and fitted himself between them, pressing his lips in a worshipful kiss against her vulva. It was an exquisite feeling and she gave herself over to the pleasure he was building up in her body with the slow, tender, laps he pressed against her skin. Up and up he pushed her, guiding her to the pinnacle of pleasure, and then he stopped.

Erin opened her eyes, seeking out his in the dim glow of twilight. "Derek…"

"I have you, Erin." She nodded and he entered her once more, his thrusts short and jerky, as if he, too, was so close to orgasm. They fell over the edge together, and he collapsed on top of her, pressing kisses to her face. She loved feeling wanted and lovely once more, and she clung to him, not wanting to lose contact with him.

"I think I'm going to go to sleep, Der. Being emotionally honest is tiring," she whispered as she cupped his face, a tired smile spreading across her face. He nodded and reached down for the covers they had pushed to the foot of the bed, covering them both. "Stay the weekend?"

"I would love that, Erin." She felt her lower lip begin to tremble as she nodded, and then he was kissing her sweetly, seeming to pick up on the shift in her emotions. "We're both a little vulnerable, here."

"And I don't do vulnerable well," she whispered, burying her face in the crook of his neck. "Hold me until I fall asleep."

"Of course." She pressed her lips to his pulse point before letting her eyes close heavily, sleep soon stealing over her.

In the morning, she was the first to wake up and she sat up and looked down on him. There was something so trusting about the way he slept, curled up against her, his hand possessively around her hip, even after she had moved. "Come join me," she whispered in his ear before slipping out of the bed and padding over to her dresser. Pulling out a thin negligee, she tugged it over her body before pulling on a thin robe.

She smiled when she saw that the robe Alan had never wanted to wear was still in that drawer. Tugging it out, she draped it on her pillow in what she hoped was an obvious hint. Then she kissed his cheek before heading downstairs and brewing a pot of coffee. The five minutes seemed to stretch into an eternity, but the aroma of the brew made her smile widen. Finally, she poured herself a mug, leaving an extra one out for Derek before heading outside to the porch swing.

As she drank, she let the peace of the morning descend over her soul. Leaning her head against the chain, she pushed the swing back and forth with her foot, letting her thoughts wander. And then, she felt his presence behind her and she turned her head to look up at him. He held up his mug and she smiled at him, indicating that he should sit next to her.

Derek sank onto the swing, and she cuddled back against him, letting his arm come to rest around her shoulders. "Good morning, sweetheart," he whispered in her ear before falling silent, pushing the swing gently. She felt content, safe, and cherished in his arms, and she let her head come to rest on his chest.

"I hope this moment in the woods never ends," she murmured as the sun rose in the sky. The only response she got was a tightening of his arm around her shoulders and the feel of his head nodding against hers. It was enough to tell her that he agreed and she sighed, happy that they were on the same page, ready to move forward together.