This is actually my 14th story (the first 13 were published under my previous/former nickname, Spring88).
A special thanks to my friend TVCrazed who beta-read this story, who's so patient with me and listen to my insecurities about writing (and all my chitchat on CM and DEMILY)!
Set post the 13th episode "Risky Business", 5th season.
Derek was inspired by the little story Emily has told on the jet to prepare a surprise for his brunette colleague...
I don't own Criminal Minds in any possible way, if I did things would have been a little different by now - is it understandable that I was referring to Morgan and Prentiss being together?!
Enjoy!
A date under the stars
It was almost night when Emily was preparing her bag, ready to leave the BAU bullpen to head home. She was so busy making a mental list of all the things she wanted to do that night that when Morgan called her name, she jumped.
"Hey, Derek" she greeted him as soon as her pulse returned to normal speed. "Wait, didn't you already leave?"
"No, not really. Actually I was just going to a store nearby to run an errand." he answered sincerely.
"You have a special date tonight, then?"
"I hope..."
"Well, good luck." she said pressing the button to call the elevator and taking advantage of this to lower her gaze
"Look, speaking of tonight, have you eaten?" He asks.
"Actually I'm about to go home..."
"Please? My treat?"
"Okay, fine." she agreed after seeing his pleading eyes "What about your date, though?"
"Oh, that's later, don't worry."
"So," Prentiss spoke to keep the conversation active, while waiting at the restaurant "what's your plan for your night?"
"Nothing too big, I'd like to surprise her - in a pleasant way, of course - without making her feeling embarrassed."
"How so?"
"Well, according to my experience as a profiler"
"And dater..." she added joking
"Yeah, also... As I was saying, as long as I know, basically every woman likes surprises; just that everyone does it differently: some women love to be in the centre of the attention, but she is different. In every possible way."
"What do you mean?"
"She's unique, one in a million - actually, more one in a billion. As strong as she wants to seem, I'm sure she has a romantic soul."
"Every girl loves romantic stuff"
"Even you, then!?" the man smirked, making her smiling in response, blushing a little.
"Why don't you tell me about her?"
"What do you wanna know?"
"I dunno, just something, anything..."
"What can I say? She's the most special girl I've ever met, hard as a rock but also sweet as cotton candy. She's steadily in my mind, sometimes I stay awake during the night just thinking about her and suddenly I feel a warm sensation in my chest and a sense of peace." Derek began to describe her, a bit surprised by how easily the right words were coming out from his mouth.
"Wow, you seem in love..." the brunette exclaimed
"Yeah, I guess I am."
"What about her? Is she in love too?"
"Ehr...I don't know."
"Seriously?" Emily asked surprised "You're a profiler, how do you not know?"
"She's not so easy to profile on this... She sends me weird signals that sometimes confuse me."
"Weird signals are the worst!" the brunette commented out loud, without realizing it
"You know something about it as well, huh? The real question here is: is it because you send those signals or because you receive them?"
"Mostly the second one. Why are you being so generic, anyways?" she wondered, changing the subject "Oh my God, do I know her?"
"Ehr...probably..."
"It's getting interesting. Does she work for the Bureau, perhaps?"
"Yep, she does."
"Really? In Quantico?" Prentiss asked; when her colleague nodded, she added "On which floor is her team?"
"Alright Sherlock, you're way too curious here." Morgan announced "I cannot tell you more, not yet at least, but I promise you that you'll find it out soon...if everything goes according to my plan!".
After the dinner, the two agents moved to a park, the one close to the Washington Monument.
"Hey, aren't you late for your date?"
"Princess, relax, I'm perfectly on time. Don't be worried when I'm not."
"Okay, if you say so... What's in your backpack, anyway?"
"You're gonna see it." he told her stopping his walk.
Derek put his sack on the ground from which he pulled out a telescope.
"Once you said you know the stars, right?" the man inquired assembling the instrument
"Well, yes, but I used to do it just as a hobby when I was a teenager."
"If I give you the coordinates of a star, could you find it?"
"I guess."
"Good, here you go RA 11h10m39.0s 69°43'22.7"" the man read the post-it note in his hand before giving it to her
"What? Did you pretend to be a star expert or something to impress her?" she teased looking for what he asked for
"Nah, none of this. I just need you to find this star?"
"If you don't mind me asking, why? I mean, I don't remember any relevant star being there."
"You sure? Because I'm pretty sure of the opposite."
"Morgan, what are you talking about?"
"I know there's a very special star with these coordinates and I've the proof of it. Here, look this."
The woman took the paper he was handing her to find out it was a certificate; the certification of the name given to a star saying 'Emily Loreen Prentiss'.
"W-what..."
"It's sort of like your story, the one you told on the jet. Except that I'm not a young prince."
"I'm not a fair maiden either." she intervened in the speech
"Maybe not a maiden, but you certainly are the most beautiful, smart and fantastic woman in the world. And I...I want to, you know, I'd like to win your heart." he explained. After taking a deep breath, he added "As Reid has rightly pointed out, it's scientifically impossible to catch a star but, thanks to modern technologies, it's possible to name a star. The good news is that I didn't smash it, but the bad news is that you're not the only Emily Prentiss in the world anymore."
"Did you really do all this just for me?" the brunette questioned astonished
"Why do you ask this as if you did not deserve all this? You are certainly worth it and a lot more!" Derek said taking her hand to show her the other part of his idea for the night: a plaid blanket was laid down on the grass with a coffee thermos and two chocolate cupcakes
"When did you do all this?"
"You mean when I had the idea or when I bought these?"
"Actually I meant when you put them down... Because I was right here and I didn't see anything."
"That's because you were busy looking for your star. By the way, the official certificate should arrive in four days.".
The couple sat down on the blanket. A weird silence fell between them; it wasn't uncomfortable, but the heaviness of unspoken words was palpable.
"So," Morgan spoke in the attempt to take a weight off his stomach "Do you...ehr...like it?"
"Nope. I adore it!" Emily smiled sincere, making him smiling back "There is only one thing that is not clear to me, why did you have to lie about the date?"
"I didn't really lie, I actually planned a date for tonight. I just didn't say who I was taking out."
"Yes, whatever. I still don't get the reason."
"Don't get me wrong, but sometimes talking to you is hard and simple at the same time. I love talking to you, of course, but when you're the topic, or my feeling for you, it's anything but easy. So, I guess,you could say I'm not as brave as it seems."
"You were afraid I would say 'no', weren't you?"
"Yup, we can say so..." they both laughed "Even when I was talking about you at the restaurant, earlier, I had to pretend I was talking about someone else to have the courage to tell you what I had in my mind."
"Do you believe everything you said? Like...for real?"
"You mean if I really think that you are the most special girl I've ever met, the woman with the hardest rind I know who actually only wants to protect her heart from all the delusions she had growing up? Or that you always occupy a place in my mind, having a special power on me: just the thought of you makes me feel a lot better, even in the worst days? Yes, I regret nothing of what I said!"
"It's almost funny how I was thinking that she was a very lucky bitch..." Prentiss confessed
"Wait, were you jealous?"
"Well, if we want to label it as jealousy..."
"I'll take it as a yes." he said, wrapping his arm around her shoulders while she leaned her head against his own.
The two of them stayed in that position for a long time until something came into Emily's mind:
"Wait a second, were you serious also when you said I confuse you with my signals?"
"In some situations, it's not really clear if you're giving me signals that you want more than a friendship between us or what..."
"I guess I could say the same about you."
"That's true. I believe I sent you a crystal clear sign tonight anyhow, am I wrong?"
"Are you saying I should be more explicit? What about this, then?" she inquired leaning closer to kiss him.
It was soft and slow, reassuring as a motherly hug. He moved his hand below her ear, caressing her cheek with his thumb as their breaths intermingled; meanwhile, she ran her fingers down his spine, carrying with her sweet shivers, pulling him closer till she could feel the fast beat of his heart against her chest.
"Was it clear enough?"
"I'm not sure I totally got you..." the man answered winking
"Your profiling skills suck, man!" Prentiss laughed
"Em, look" Derek came out with, after a while, interweaving their fingers "I'd love for us to stay here longer, but it's getting late and we have to work tomorrow. What do you say if I accompany you home now and I'll come to pick you up in the morning to head in to Quantico?"
"Sounds good, and my car is still at the Bureau, so..."
"Great! Oh, and I'll bring breakfast!".
"It's a date..."
"Maybe it is." he responded helping her to stand up again
"With whom this time?"
"Just a colleague of mine."
"She must be terribly lucky."
"Maybe, but I know I'm definitely the lucky one here." Derek gave voice to his thoughts before kissing her deeply "C'mon, the sooner we go to sleep the sooner tomorrow will come!"
"Yup, but I'm not sure how much I'll be able to sleep." Prentiss admitted
"You can always look at the stars if you can't fall asleep...".
The agents then went back to the car hand-in-hand, both knowing they had a star looking down on them. _
I really hope you liked it. Please review if you want, thanks! ;)