A/N: This is pretty random, honestly! It's been on my mind for a while so I thought I'd write it out and publish it! Hope you like!
Derek rolled over sleepily, reaching for his wife Penelope under the covers. He wanted to cuddle. His dream had left him feeling unsettled, and he wanted to be close to her for a while. She always knew how to make him feel better. Either that or she would find a way to distract him.
Where was she?
Derek sat up in his king-sized bed, trying to adjust his eyes from sleep. Sure enough, Penelope's side of the bed was empty and cold. She'd gotten up. Hoping she wasn't already nauseous from morning sickness, he went to go find her.
It didn't take him long. Penelope had gone downstairs to their living room, where she sat with a photo album opened on her lap. He was confused at first. It was three in the morning, why would she be looking through old pictures? Then he realized she was crying.
"Baby Girl, what's wrong?" he asked, immediately going to her side. "Did something happen?"
It took her a minute to answer. "...Never going to meet her," Penelope managed to sob.
"What?" he asked, pulling her to him. Derek was going to get to the bottom of this. Penelope was really upset.
"My mom," she explained, pulling back a little to look at him. "She's never going to meet her granddaughter. She's...never going to know about Sophie."
Her hands were instinctively on her belly as she said this. Tears continued to fall down her cheeks, and Derek racked his brain for something to say. Anything to say. Penelope's crying jags always threw him for a loop, and they'd only gotten worse since she found out she was pregnant. Was there any good thing to respond with here?
"I know," he finally said. "It really sucks. Your mom would be happy for us like everyone else is."
He rubbed her arm in reassurance, not sure what else to do. He figured she would cry herself out eventually or come to a resolution.
"She looks like her," Penelope said suddenly. "I know we've only seen ultrasound pictures...but Sophie looks like my mom. Do you remember the sonogram last week when we could see her face perfectly?
"Yeah."
"She has her facial structure exactly," Penelope said. "It's crazy. I always resembled my dad more than anyone. Yet, somehow, our little girl is taking after her grandmother."
"Genes are a funny thing," Derek said. "It's not impossible."
She pointed at the photo album then. "Look," she said. "Can you see it? Or am I just being crazy?"
She put Sophie's ultrasound beside a photo of her mother. "See?" Penelope said. "Their resemblance is uncanny."
Derek looked at the photos in shock, as Sophie really did resemble Penelope's mom perfectly. Her facial structure and lips were exact. There may have been something about the eyes too, but Penelope's eyes also held that shape.
"Sophie looks like you, Baby Girl," he said. "See the eyes there? Perfect match."
"You don't think she looks like my mother?" Penelope's chin started to tremble. "Am I the only one who sees it?"
"You're not the only one," Derek said. "I see it. But.. you look like your mother too. So it only makes sense that Sophie looks like the both of you."
He was almost scared to see her reaction. Sometimes, when Penelope got upset enough, it was hard to reassure her or find the right thing to say. It's just the pregnancy hormones, Derek reminded himself.
He had said the right thing. "You think so?" she whispered, touching the picture softly. Then: "It's too bad they'll never meet."
"She still has us though," Derek said. "I know it's no compensation, but Sophie will have two of the best parents in the universe. You know that."
Penelope had to smile. "You have a point," she said. "We are pretty awesome parents in the making, even though we're a little sappy at times."
"Sophie has us," he reminded her. "And my mother. She can't wait to meet her granddaughter. Soph has the team too, don't forget. I'm sure Rossi is grandfather material."
Before Penelope's face could cloud over again, Derek kissed her. "No more crying," he said. "I know the hormones make it worse, but this is supposed to be the happiest time in our lives. We're having a baby. Our little girl is going to be here in a couple of months."
Pen nodded. "What woke you up, by the way? You usually sleep like the dead after a case."
"A dream," he said simply. "I barely even remember it now. My dad was in it. I...couldn't find him or something. I was a kid again."
"Ah," she said. "Do you want to talk about it?"
He shook his head. "Not really," Derek answered. "I just wanted to find you. Being around you makes me feel better."
"Glad to be of service, Hot Stuff," Penelope flirted, as she put the photo album back on the table. "I'm exhausted though. Are you ready for bed?"
He nodded and followed her back into their bedroom, turning off lamps they'd left on along the way.
"We're in this together, my love," she said yawning cutely. "It's just you and me and little Sophie."
Derek only smiled and settled in beside her. "Sounds like perfection to me," he said. "There's nothing more I could ask for."
They both relaxed then, each falling asleep within minutes. Penelope let Derek's protective embrace and breathing soothe her into a dream. He let Sophie's kicks and the comfort he felt help him back to sleep.
A/N: Hope you enjoyed! This was just a random one shot I had floating around my head! Don't forget to review!