Castaways: Chapter One

So, here is the story I promised readers of my most recent story: an M/G shipwreck story! And no, the whole 'shipwreck' thing isn't really a spoiler…so, without any more useless blathering from me, onto the introductory chapter! Takes place post-7x17 but before season finale/Prentiss leaving (boo!)

Disclaimer: I do not own CM. And if I did, would I really waste my time pairing M/G on fanfiction instead of putting them together on the real show?

"I-I'm just not ready," Penelope Garcia stuttered out, tears blurring her vision. Kevin Lynch's shoulders visibly slumped in a combination of bitter disappointment and subtle, undefined anger.

"Yeah, well, I am," he muttered sourly, doing an about face and briskly striding away from her.

"Kevin…." she breathed to his retreated form, feeling her insides begin to curdle within her. She'd screwed up big time, hadn't she?

"Hey. You okay, baby girl?" Derek Morgan asked as he cautiously approached her dejected figure.

"You saw all that?" she whispered with a tear-clogged voice. "Thought you were gonna let us do 'what us guys do'."

"Yeah….." was all he said in response. "I'm so sorry, sweetheart."

"Don't be. I'm the one who rejected him. It was all me. This is my fault." Her words came out rushed and grief-stricken.

"Hey, hey, calm down. Why do you think it was your fault? From where I'm standing, you made the decision that was best for you." Derek let the rest of his thoughts "and best for me, too" go unspoken.

"Yeah, but what did I screw up in the meantime?" Penelope moaned.

"I don't think you screwed up anything. In fact, if you'd said 'yes' to him when you weren't really ready for that kind of a commitment, that's when you would have screwed everything up. Maybe it's for the best."

"Derek, how can it be for the best when we might have just broken up?"

"If you two really love each other, you'll find a way to work it out."

If you two really love each other. It was a question that Penelope had been battling internally for quite sometime now, if she were honest with herself. She'd come to realize that her relationship with Kevin could best be defined as….safe. It was safe to share a life with him because she hadn't surrendered all of it to him. And, most importantly, the relationship, up until this point, hadn't required her to give her whole heart to him. Because, deep down, she knew that Kevin Lynch could never completely have her heart. Derek Morgan, whether intentional or not, had long ago won it.

"Well, about that…." Penelope mumbled, returning to the present.

"What are you talking about?" Derek asked, confusion apparent in his eyes. "You do love him, right?" Selfishly, he wanted her to say no. He wanted her to say that she had never been in love with Kevin Lynch, that she'd made a big mistake in dating him in the first place. He wanted her to say that she'd always loved someone else…but now certainly would not be the time that she would admit to that, in light of the events that had just unfolded.

"I guess I do….I'm not as sure now…..everything is really confusing…." she mumbled. "I think I need to go home."

"Yeah, that might be a good idea. You want me to drive you?"

"Thanks, handsome, but you don't have to. I'm a big girl."

"I know I don't have to, but I want to. I have to make sure that you're going to be okay." Penelope seemed to mull over his words for a minute before nodding.

"Thank you," she murmured, only partially audible. "You're a true friend."

"You know I'm here, baby. Whenever you need me."

The drive to Penelope's apartment was subdued and quiet. Derek allowed his best friend to be alone with her thoughts, but that didn't stop him from more-than-occasionally glancing at her to make sure that she hadn't silently broken down.

"Thanks again, Derek," she whispered when they reached the door. "What did I do to deserve a great guy like you to be my best friend?"

"I dunno…what did I do to deserve a great girl like you to be my best friend?" he countered, a teasing smile on his face.

"I'm going to be okay," she whispered, detecting the trace of worry evident in his eyes.

"Yeah, I know you will be."

"Derek…..I-I…I love you." His heart leapt when he heard the words come out of her mouth. Oh, how he wished she meant them in the way that he did.

"Love you too, baby girl. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Penelope's own heart quickened at what he'd just said…if only…..he meant it the way she did.

"Yeah. See you tomorrow." She opened the door to her apartment and slipped inside without so much as another backwards glance.

Derek stood at her door for another few minutes, his feet unable to carry him back to his vehicle. So much had happened in such a small window of time. The question now posed to him was "When do I make my move?". It had to be soon, as he didn't want another Kevin to steal her away from him, but not soon enough that she didn't have enough time to recover fully from the breakup.

It was a question he'd never really had to ask himself, he realized. In the past, so many of his so-called 'relationships' with women consisted of a simple pickup and one-night stand. Love, he convinced himself, should not be a factor in any relationship he had. It was too complicated, too burdening for the free-spirited personality he had when away from work.

And then he'd met Penelope Garcia and everything changed. Suddenly, he was face-to-face with someone he would be willing to risk it all for. Someone he could love. Someone who he could imagine spending the rest of his life with.

Now that she was finally 'available' after several years of being wrapped around computer geek Kevin Lynch, Derek knew he didn't want to screw up his chances. This was it.

And, suddenly, he had an idea. An idea to-hopefully-woo Penelope and make her realize that the decision to reject Kevin Lynch was the best decision she could have made.

Unfortunately for Derek, he didn't realize that his idea would bring them to the brink of death…..or perhaps push them over it completely.

Okay…Chapter One is complete…..it basically sets the back story for future chapters. Thanks for reading! I'd love it if you would drop a review, but I'm not going to hold chapters hostage if you don't (that is ridiculous and trite IMHO). I will update when I can.