Disclaimer: I own nothing except the idea. Now that is fun to mess with ;)

A/N: So new idea, this isn't very long and is for Harleyzgirl, mainly ;), to help her cheer up =) Plus this keeps me out of mischief with my evil mood I've been in!

Hope you all like =)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Eleventh Round -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Penelope was always one to give anything a try. Even if she knew that it was a completely terrible idea, but now, after this, she wasn't sure she would be able to be this optimistic about the unknown.

She was beyond embarrassed. How was she supposed to show face at work and report about this amazing date she went on when so far it was more blah than awe?

She could lie, was the first thing that popped into her head as she tilted her head, seemingly making interaction with whatever Chad was babbling on about. Or she could emphasise the good and ignore the bad, or, her heart sank, she could just admit that she needed help dating again.

Of course, had Derek had full on control she would be on this date with Derek on a table nearby, ear wigging in and she didn't need that. She needed to show she could get someone else. After all, wasn't that what dating was about? Testing the waters, sampling the other fish in the sea? She had to battle through the bad to get to the good.

Not only that, she didn't want to prove Derek right when he had told her that maybe she needed help hooking up, he knew some people that were more than a little interested in having a little sexy mama in their midst.

Yet Penelope had taken that as an insult rather than a help. He'd deem her unable to find a sufficient date for herself and now with Chad in front of her she realised she was. Her last proper date like this was with Battle, and look how that ended. Now unlike Battle, Penelope knew full well Chad wasn't packing, he was too much of a dim light for that, too much of a box lacking a crayon or two to master that. However she knew she was going to be going home with a pitiful feeling in stomach, one not short of what she remembered feeling days after being shot all those years again.

Her thoughts went to Kevin, they'd avoided dating and just fell into that partnership and in turn that relationship had been bland, fun at the beginning but then dragged by, and she guessed that was why she found him sleeping around. Penelope wasn't interesting enough to keep a man around for longer than deemed necessary.

Sighing she now knew she had a new title to add to the endless others.

Failure in love.

She diminished her sinking heart by picking up her glass of wine and taking a swift gulp of it before setting it down and trying her hardest to get back into the date.

"So what did you say you do for a living?" She asked trying to savour some conversation.

Chad grinned at her, "I'm a computer salesman," He said almost proudly and boastingly, "Best there is in the knowhow of computers me," He gloated and Penelope swallowed a laugh, "Are you okay?" He asked her.

Penelope's eyes snapped up, looking him dead in the eyes and she began to nod, "Oh yeah, sorry. Just that comment tickled me a little." She told him and then smiled reaching for her glass of wine again; trying to hide the awkwardness she was feeling.

"Oh," He said and reached for his beer, "How so?" He prompted her and she was compelled to either answer or sit there declining while he pushed.

"I'm a technical analyst." She told him, and she saw his face mask with shock, "For the FBI." She continued.

"You?" He asked with a smirk, a slight laugh, "Now I had you down as the owning a stupid little boutique type of shops."

Penelope laughed at that, "Sorry to disappoint but I am a world renowned oracle of computers."

"I'm sure," he agreed and winked at her, something that did nothing to make her want him more, "I'm sure we could put each other to the test."

Penelope shook her head, "I've done that before and I didn't like the relationship that came out of the end of it." She admitted just as their main course was served.

Obviously that comment didn't sit right with Chad as he tried his hardest to get around her, try as he might to find other ways of impressing her. It was as the meal came to an end that he turned to self worship and irritable praising that she knew date number two was off of the tables.

"Chad thinks you're hot," Chad persisted on saying and Penelope felt herself groan inwardly, but she kept her smile plied on, refusing to let the tight fake grin drop. "Chad would like to take you home for a coffee or two," he almost purred and she could swear his foot touched her leg and ran up a little bit before she shot him a death look.

Watching smile she felt her embarrassment for him grow, "Chad has a little something..." She pointed to her teeth and watched him realise what she was getting at.

"Oh shit," He muttered as he hooked whatever it was out and then ate it, grabbing a spoon he pushed on with an inspection of his teeth.

Penelope felt her stomach roll and looked for a waitress, "Bill please."

"Bill?" Chad asked incredulously, "What about dessert? Some tiramisu to really start our evening if you care to catch my drift," He tried to lure her in with his words, "Chad has some fun in mind."

Penelope was saved from thought as the waitress came back with the bill and slipped it onto the table top. She watched Chad pick it up and his eyes bulged so much she was sure a couple of milliseconds more and they would have fallen right out of their sockets.

"Right," He said reading down the list, "Right so the wine was yours, as was the crab cocktail..."

As Penelope listened to him read out what was hers on the list she realised chivalry died a long time again and so reached for her bag and her purse ready to pay her half of the deal.

That in itself killed the date. A woman paying for her share really killed the potential, abolished the chivalry, but then she thought to Kevin, she should've been used to this ending for a date. She got out thirty dollars and put them down on the table before getting up from her seat and heading for the exit to get her coat.

"Penny, babe!" She heard Chad call out but carried on going. He got up, however, and ran after her to the cloakroom, "Where's the fire?"

"I don't know, where is the fire?" She asked, after feeling the most ice cold date ever. There was no pull between them, not like when she had first seen him at the bar, not when he'd flirted with her. "I'm gonna go home," She said as she handed her ticket over for her coat. "It was fun, but I don't think we're going to see another date. Sorry."

"Do I at least get a kiss?" He asked as he put his hand to her hip pulling her close.

"I don't think so," Penelope told him blandly and grabbed her coat and left him standing there as she strutted her stuff and left, going to find a cab and go home.

Sitting in the back of the cab she watched the passing lights as she twisted her phone around in her hand contemplating ringing someone, anyone just to vent a little, but she didn't want Derek to know or Emily for that matter. Not when she had to face them tomorrow.

JJ was her only option and she knew that, and, after all, JJ had stipulated that any time of day, or night, she needed her to just ring and she needed a little help, a little enlightening that she wasn't becoming completely incapable of finding someone that she loved and that loved her back in the same way.

She needed to know that her happiness was just waiting to fall on top of her.

Finishing the call as the driver turned into her road she let out a thankful sigh, happier that she wasn't a complete failure, as yet. She handed the driver some money and then climbed out.

Praying that a good night's sleep would give her a new lease of life, give her a new perspective and in turn a new sense of optimism.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- The Eleventh Round -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-