Disclaimer: I don't, as ever, own a single thing =(

A/N: I've had this idea sitting and waiting and well I'm nearly three chapters ahead and with a plan! Woo! I want a range of idea's going; keep the mind going... especially as I build back up to going back to University... I need to keep on top for Essays and lectures =(

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Needing Cupid's Help -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Penelope looked up from her ring adorned hands, across the off putting food, over the cheap wine in the dirty glasses and at the casually dressed Derek. She tipped her head to side as she surveyed him, and what had come of their first date together. Then the bubbles of embarrassment seemed to arise and she was struck humiliated at how misread this whole meal was. She seriously thought it was a date, their first date, but evidently not.

This wasn't a date. There was no romance, or food sharing, or light chit chat or any emotion from Derek whatsoever. It was all so blah, and all so disappointing. She coughed uncomfortably and took a sip of the wine. She placed the glass back down and decided to strike up some more conversation.

"So..." She started, hoping he'd finish it, but he didn't even make a movement.

Again she coughed.

"So..." He finally stated and she could detect some boredom and that finished her.

"Now am I paying my share or is this on you?" She asked and Derek ran a hand over his stubbly jaw. "You know what; I'd have much more fun with a chocolate tea pot." She muttered bluntly and got her bag, she grabbed her purse a little too fierce. "I clearly misread this all. I've forgotten something along the way and got it all completely wrong." She threw down $30's and stood up. "I'll get a cab home, Handsome. It's been lovely and all, but..." Derek looked at her as she stood, his breathing hitched, but he didn't say a thing. "I'll see you later, Stud." She told him and kissed his cheek and left feeling like she'd truly missed something.

Derek sat in silence. He was so bad at the courting business in life. He could get any woman he wanted, bare his teeth in a smile, wink with a sparkle, go and just dance and draw women in like a magnet but to truly make a woman feel like you were in love with her was hard.

Derek Morgan wasn't some Romeo in the making; Derek Morgan was a Casanova, a lady killer in the bedroom department, a pure sex driven player.

Until it came to Penelope Garcia.

It was his past that showed the error of his ways. He had no idea how to date, no idea how to woo. He knew one thing and one thing only. He knew how to get a woman in his bed by the time the clock struck midnight.

"Realise she's not your type?" Their waiter said as he came over to take the dishes.

"I think I'm not her type." Derek said exasperated and ran his hands over his head in clear frustration. "Ever had a fail date?"

"Once." Derek took the last gulp of his wine. "Want something stronger?"

"If you have one too. I wanna hear I'm not the only failure with women." The man laughed and looked at his watch. Derek surveyed him the whole time.

"I clock off in 5, bar's open 'til 1 so sure." He told Derek and took the plates. When he came back he sat down and passed over a glass of Jacks. "The bar man's got a bottle ready for us."

Derek laughed. "Sounds good to me. So come on... only one failed date?"

"Yeah. I liked a lot of women but one girl, Sally from High school, was a constant. Always there for me, knew me better than anyone I knew and one day she was in a car accident and I realised that I just couldn't lie anymore. I loved her way more than I should've. I persevered, got me a date and ruined it."

"Doesn't sound good to me." Derek said and downed his Jacks. This sounded a little like his life with Penelope. His fate was telling already.

"I screwed up bad that things were a little, how can you say, difficult." The waiter told him. "I slept around a bit more, but then I realised that I wanted Sally and I'd do anything to get her. So I took up love lessons."

Derek nearly choked on that last sentence.

"Love lessons?" Derek gasped in disbelief. "There are actually classes for love?"

"Hell yeah, best thing I ever did." He saw Derek look a little disbelieving. "Been married 7 months now man. It's truly worth going for."

"I don't think so." Derek deflected, swirling his drink around in his glass.

"Suit yourself." The waiter said and sat back and downed his drink. "I'm Rick by the way. Next time don't go for a restaurant like this, and don't dress like this is just a meal with friends. It's a failure right off."

"Derek," He introduced himself, "and trust me. She's the one woman that I've ever screwed up so badly with. It won't be happening again."

"Well, I'd sort it and fast because she was dead into you." He got up, pulled his wallet out and a small pink card. "Give it ago, what harm can it do?" He threw it down in front of Derek and smiled a little and walked off.

Derek just picked the card up in his hands and flipped it a couple of times in his fingers. He knew he had to give it ago or commit himself to losing the one woman he'd fallen truly, madly, deeply in love with.

He read the card. Then looked at Rick as he stood at the bar. He was now married because of this card. He had the woman he loved because of this little card. Derek looked back at it and then down at the table as a hand ran over his head.

Derek never, in a million years, thought he'd need to have lesson's in loving a woman. It should've been something in his DNA, something he just knew. Then he thought to Penelope. What a letdown he had been to her. What a waste of an evening he had given her and it was all down to one thing. Loving her, above all other women, made his foundations shake and him lose his complete being.

Derek then realised. He was nervous around a woman.

Putting the card in front of him, he got up, he pulled his jacket on. He was going to make this right. He was going to love Penelope right, even if it killed him.

"Thanks man." He said as he panted Rick's back and left the bar. Rick looked at the table and smiled, the card was gone, that was a positive already.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Needing Cupid's Help -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

A/N: No mega hurt in this, all mainly love! That I can promise! =)

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