Silly Girl

This is a response to the Fortune Cookie Friday on Chit Chat on Authors Corner, the prompt was: Give him an inch and he'll take a mile.

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the ideas.

. . . . . . .

Penelope liked to think that it took a lot to make her angry. In fact she classified herself as a placid person; calm in a kooky way, but right now she was livid. Luckily for Clooney her anger was being chanelled into throwing the ball further for him than usual. Each time he happily bounded back to hear her repeat curses about his owner and her best friend, Derek Morgan. This didn't bother Clooney, the longer she shouted the longer the game lasted. Finally Penelope gave up and called Clooney to her. Putting on his leash she muttered under her breath:

"When I get hold of Derek I am going to do several unmentionable acts on him that he will not enjoy. Come on boy, let's go eat."

. . . . . . .

When Penelope got into her apartment she checked her answer phone, still no message. She hadn't expected Derek to collect Clooney Friday when they landed, in fact she had text him to tell him not to bother, it would have been far too late and with a killer migraine even she hadn't waited for the team to come home. When she had crawled out of bed at gone mid-day Saturday she hadn't heard from him, usually if he wanted her to keep Clooney an extra night so he could go out and relax he would call and ask. Not this time, no obviously Derek took it for granted that Pen would help out as per usual. Penelope Garcia is not a girl to be taken for granted, as Derek Morgan was about to find that out for himself.

She left it Saturday as she had not felt right all day but had considered going round early Sunday morning, but to be honest the thought on walking in him on while he was enjoying some 'stress release' was more than she could stomach right now. She'd relieve his stress for him, and not in a nice way.

"Right boy, seeing Daddy doesn't want you home this weekend you and I are going to enjoy our last evening together but then tomorrow your coming to work with me. I need your help with something." Clooney wagged his tail and licked at Penelope's hand "Your puppy dog eyes may work on me but I can assure you Mr Morgan will not have so much luck tomorrow."

. . . . . . .

Derek still felt rough but dragged himself into work knowing that the longer he left the paperwork the more it would add up. He considered trying the sympathy vote with Reid in the hope he could palm some off onto him.

As he entered the bullpen he saw his solace sat on his desk smiling sweetly, just the medicine he needed, Penelope always made him feel great.

"Baby girl am I glad to see you." He beamed.

"Really coz I don't think you will be for long." As he cornered round to his desk he noticed Clooney sat patiently at her feet. "Right now Derek Morgan you are very lucky to be standing in a public place or I would be carrying out a set of very undignified and not at all like me acts on your body that you would not enjoy. I am not to be taken for granted. I don't mind looking after Clooney while you're away being superheroes, I enjoy his company, but that does not extend to me keeping him over the weekend while you sleep your way round half the city. Do I make myself clear?"

Derek nodded slowly, speechless, as Penelope got off his desk and handed him Clooney's handle.

"Give you an inch and you take a mile." Penelope added as she turned on her sparkling red heels and marched back to her office, well aware that everyone had heard everything. That will teach him not to mess with Penelope Garcia.

Derek's eyes followed her every step of the way out of the bullpen, painfully aware of the silence of everyone watching what had just gone down. He slumped into his desk chair looking down at Clooney next to him.

"Coffee or should that be a bowl of water?" Reid poked his head round the divide enjoying the moment of being able to tease Morgan for once.

"Guess someone's in the dog house and it's not Clooney." Prentiss added on her way past to fill JJ in on what had just happened.

"Ha ha very funny you two." Derek lent forward onto his desk head in hands. This was not what he'd expected this morning. He'd felt so bad with flu over the weekend that he hadn't given Penelope and Clooney a second thought, he'd barely got out of bed from the time he'd got home Friday until his alarm went off that morning for work. Lifting his head he realised that people had started to continue with their jobs. Leaning back, he looked directly into Hotch's eyes.

"Does he have security clearance?" Hotch nodded straight faced towards Clooney, "You know what Strauss is like about protocol maybe you should take him home before she sees him." Hotch walked off while he could still resist the urge to laugh.

Great Morgan thought even Hotch has developed a sense of humour at my expense. Getting up Derek jerked softly on the leash and Clooney followed obediently.

. . . . . . .

On his way back into the bullpen Derek stopped by Penelope's office. It was empty. Though he wanted to explain he was also glad to not have to face another torrent of Penelope at her most furious. Making the most of the vacant room he arranges the bright multicoloured bunch of flowers and large box of chocolate on Pen's desk, grabbing a nearby heart shaped pad of post-it notes he simply scrawled 'sorry Dx'.

Then he made his way back to his desk, ready to start his day again.

. . . . . . .

Penelope's heart missed a beat as she entered her office the flowers smelt amazing and the chocolates where her favourites. Tempting as it was she swore to herself that she wasn't going to be bought that easily. Lifting them gently to one side, Pen got on with her work with a heavy heart.

. . . . . . .

As the day passed slowly by Derek started to worry just how much trouble he was in. Pen still hadn't spoken to him, even though she had been through the bullpen twice on her way to speak others. He was starting to wonder if he'd put his gifts in the wrong office. He decided to bite the bullet and return to her office and beg her forgiveness, he couldn't bear the lack of banter any longer. He missed Pen when he was away, more than he often cared to admit even to himself. The one pleasure he had in the office was Pen's company, her smile, her everything and to risk not having that over a silly misunderstanding. Well that was not worth any amount of manly pride. He was willing to beg if that was what he needed to do. Stopping only to make her a coffee, he set of on his mission to win back Penelope Garcia.

He walked cautiously into Penelope's lair.

"Haven't you heard of knocking?" she snapped, even more severely then she had thought possible.

"Didn't think the normal work rules applied to me babe." Morgan beamed as he placed the coffee on her desk.

"Well maybe they should." She said moving the coffee to one side as she purposely took a sip from the large mug of hot chocolate she had recently made herself. She was surprised how annoyed she still was, but she had always respected Derek as a friend and thought he respected her equally. She was not some door mat that he could wipe his feet on, how could she have been so wrong about him.

Morgan leaned round Penelope, putting one hand on the desk either side of her, resting his chin on her shoulder. Penelope tried hard to not show the effect he was having on her. The feel of his breath on her neck was sending shivers down her spine.

"Princess what have a got to do to prove I am sorry? It is all a silly mistake, let me explain."

Silly did he just say silly. Of course, silly girl, that's just was she was to him. Spinning suddenly round on her chair and nearly knocking Derek over in the process, she came face to face with him. The tension was intense.

"Agent Morgan I am not some silly girl that you can wrap around your finger, to use and abuse whenever you feel like it. I have feelings, I have a life and I am not going to drop everything to be at your beck and call any longer. Please leave I am busy." With which she spun back round to face her computer screens and started typing furiously, fighting the tears welling in her eyes.

Without saying another word Derek left.

. . . . . . . .

Penelope stayed late for two reasons. First she didn't want to bump into Derek or anyone else on the way out and second she didn't want to go home to her empty apartment yet again. She was starting to feel that she may have over reacted as she wanted Derek as a friend, well more than that if she was honest. Getting into Ester she cranked up the music and drove home looking forward to a long soak in the tub with a large glass of red wine and maybe a chocolate or two from the box Derek had bought her.

. . . . . . . . . . .

She almost dropped the bags she was carrying as she looked up the last flight of stairs towards her apartment door.

"What are you doing here? I'm sure I could have you taken in for staking or harassment or something."

"Go ahead then Mama, but I'm not leaving until you have heard me out. Do I make myself clear?"

Pen nodded, this was the last thing she expected. She opened the door and entered leaving it open for Derek to follow. Dropping her bags on the kitchen surface she grabbed two beers from the fridge and cracked them open. Flopping onto the couch she passed Derek a bottle.

"This had better be good and don't think the puppy dog eye thing will work this time, it won't"

Derek sat down opposite Penelope. All the time he had been waiting outside her door he had been planning what to say but now words failed him.

"I was sick" it sounded so pathetic. "I got your text on the flight home and was relieved that I didn't need to collect Clooney on the way home. I went straight home; I didn't even go into the office. My head was throbbing and I ached all over. I took something and went to bed. I barely got out again before this morning."

Penelope felt awful.

"I'm sorry" she murmured looking at her feet, her face matching the scarlet shoes she wore.

"You weren't to know. You're right I should have called, let you know. I took it for granted that you would be happy to have Clooney, which was wrong." He moved to sit next to his friend pulling her into a hug. As her head rested gently against his chest she sighed.

"I have been a silly girl."

"I didn't say that." Derek smiled into her hair, hugging her a little tighter.