Penelope Garcia looked at a picture of Derek, Savannah and Hank and smiled, she ran her finger over his face and said, "I miss you hotstuff", she then sighed as she put the picture back down. A day that she dreaded was coming up in a few days, one that she had been dreading all year, her birthday, she blew out a deep breath and said, "it isn't going to be the same without you sugar shack".
Every year on her birthday they got together and went out as a team and then he would stay over at hers or she would stay with him and they would watch movies and eat popcorn but not now, not this year. Derek and Savannah had moved right after Christmas and at first he called almost everyday but that soon changed to 3 days a week and then 1 and now for the past several months she's only heard from him a couple of times.
She had accidently overheard Spencer and JJ talking about marital trouble between Derek and Savannah, part of her was happy when she heard the news but she didn't let herself get excited because her friend, no her best friend still hadn't called her to confide that secret in her. Since Derek had left she missed their chats,
their walks and definitley their flirting.
None of her boyfriends could understand the connection she had to Derek, they were all jealous at how easily they seemed to flow, their chemistry was off the charts and several times since he got married and then moved she wondered why they never went out. she stood up and turned her babies off and said, "he would never see you that way, not ever".
She looked at a picture of Derek, Penelope and the baby right before they had moved, she was so happy that day but her happiness left the minute Derek stopped calling or communicating with her. Penelope picked up her things and headed toward the elevator and when she stopped in front of the doors she saw Dave walking up the hall toward her.
He smiled and said, "how are you doing kitten"?, she plastered a smile on her face and said, "great, how are you and Fran"?, he said, "we're great", she smiled as she stepped onto the elevator and said, "good, good". The doors started closing and Dave put his arm in to stop them, he said, "Penelope do you have any plans for tonight"?, she said, "no, not really, I was just going to go home and take a hot bath and watch the oldies but goodies channel and pig out on Cherry Garcia".
He laughed and said, "why don't you join Fran and me for dinner"?, she said, "I don't think so, maybe another time", Dave said, "are you avoiding Fran"?, she awkardly laughed and said, "now why would I do that"?, he crossed his arms over his chest and said, "I'm a profiler Garcia, you know that you can't lie to me". She blew out a deep breath and said, "I hate profilers".
Dave grinned and said, "no you don't", she sighed and said, "alright I'll come over, what time do you want me"?, he said, "how about 6:00, ohhhh and bring your gobag so that you can spend the night". She said, "spend the night but why"?, he said, "well we have a few things to show you and the night might fly by and I don't want you on the road late at night".
She touched his cheek and said, "thank you my italian stallion", he stepped back and said, "see you at 6, be careful", she winked at him and said, "always" and as the doors closed Penelope slumped against the wall wondering why she didn't refuse Daves request. She leaned her head against the wall and said, "of course I'm trying to avoid Fran, I don't want to break down in front of her because I miss her son, her married son".
The ride home didn't take long and soon she was grabbing her gobag and getting ready to head out the door, she turned the lights off and sighed as she closed the door behind her. As she drove toward Casa Rossi she knew that for the rest of the night she would have to plaster a fake smile on her face, she sighed and said, "you can do it Garcie, you're a big girl, you just need to put on your big girl panties and deal with the fact that you are totally alone, yet again".
As she pulled up in front of Rossis place she smiled knowing that Dave was only trying to help, she got out of her car and grabbed her bag and headed toward their front door. She raised her hand to knock and after what seemed like forever she heard the door knob turning, as it started opening she plastered that smile and she said, "hi Dav" and then she heard the one voice that she had been missing for months, she heard the voice of her best friend, her hotstuff, her Derek.
He smiled and said, "SURPRISE BABY GIRL" and then pulled her into his arms quickly inhaling the smell of her perfume and shampoo