Never Lose It Again

Chapter Two

January 1st, 2010

"Mmmm," was the first thing Derek said that year, as he kissed Penelope, and fought the urge to slip his tongue against her lips and see if she would let him take this first real kiss of theirs even further.

Figuring she needed time to heal from her break up with Kevin, Derek pulled back. The fact that him and Penelope were surrounded by their friends and the rest of the people JJ invited to her annual New Year Eve party didn't even register to him. That wasn't what made him hold back during their kiss.

It was respect for her.

Derek had been figuring out just how deep his feelings for Penelope went for the last few years but she had just recently gotten out of a serious relationship. She deserved space to figure out where she wanted her life to go now.

And he would give her that.

Still, as long as she was willing to spend time with him, he also wanted to hang out with her more and get back that deep, special connection that had started to get frayed over the last six months or longer.

He intended to go slow but, if she kept giving him signs she wanted it, he intended to find a way to make them a couple- after years of being friends, flirting and teasing and growing this love between them. A love he would never deny again- inside of his head or with his words or actions.

A love he wanted to let flourish.

Their first kiss had certainly felt like a hell of a good start for all he wanted them to find together. She had responded back, bringing her arm up to wrap around his neck and pull him closer to her.

And now she sat there- looking flushed and dazed but smiling slightly- making eyes at him that said she was so onto him-and she all in for what he had in mind.

Derek Morgan had never had a better, or more important, kiss in all his life.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Penelope knew she had to be practically glowing as she came down from the high of kissing Derek for the first time. Just one look at her had to tell him how much she had liked it. How she knew that he would have never done that if she was still with Kevin, and he also would have never done that back before she dated Kevin.

They were different now. Time had forced them both to see the harsh truth that it would not wait forever for them to make up their minds.

They both knew how easy it was to lose every chance they ever had to be together. Even to lose the feeling that were close friends. To lose the chance to spend time together.

They knew how bad days became bad months and years.

Unlike back in the days when they younger, when they thought they had all the time in the world to figure out what they wanted to be, and they even thought it might be okay to just stay friends for life, they didn't have delusions about what they wanted anymore.

At least she didn't.

And that kiss more than hinted that either did Derek. It was a gentle but firm kiss that told her he had lots of plans for them. Good. Because so did she.

"Happy New Year, sug."

His voice was deep and husky when he told her "I bet you that this year is gonna be our best year yet."

"You have no idea how right you are," she flirted back before the moment was broken when Emily came over to wish them both a happy new year, and the rest of the world came rushing back in.

Penelope found herself standing up and hugging several friends for the next few minutes. When she later looked for Derek he was across the room talking to Rossi.

Derek's eyes moved to connect with hers. She winked at him and grin spread across his lips.

This year certainly was starting out right for them, that much Penelope was sure of.

XXXXXXXXXX

Derek hadn't wanted to walk away from Penelope. All night long he made sure to stay by her side. But Rossi had come over, shook his hand and said "Happy New Year," and then nodded at him to indicate they should step to the corner of the room, near the book cases, where they could have a more private conversation.

Rossi had told him "I don't know about you but I'm glad to put this last year behind me."

"Yeah. I've had better ones, that's for sure."

"You had to take a lot on your shoulders with being unit chief. Did it make you want a unit of your own, Morgan?"

"I'm happy right where I am." It was then that his eyes connected with Penelope's and a smile slid across his face.

Rossi slapped a hand on his shoulder, drawing Derek's attention back to Rossi, and said "Its good to know what you want. Too many people want what they don't have or what they used to have and forget to cherish everything they actually have in their life. I was like that in all my marriages. With our jobs its too easy to let work become everything."

"Right. This jobs takes so much of our time."

"It takes more than time. It takes parts of us. But that doesn't mean we can't still have more in our lives than just the job we do. How are you doing with making yourself a life instead of just a career?"

Derek's grin came back full force. "Getting better at it every day."

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

JJ broke away from her husband, who she had been kissing at midnight (their son Henry was sleeping over at a friend's house, the friend was someone Will met in his Daddy and Me classes), and headed across the room to talk to Penelope.

Once she got in front of her she dropped her voice and said "I saw that kiss," in a whisper that asked what was up.

Penelope flushed. "Sweetie, you should have had your lips all over your own man at midnight. Go find him and show him how good a year you're gonna give him."

"Already did. But before that I saw you showing Derek the kind of year you wanna give him."

Penelope smiled. "More like he was showing me."

JJ looked like she was dying to let out a squeal of excitement but instead she said "Come back over tomorrow for brunch. Will is going to pick up Henry at noon and that should give us plenty of time to talk alone. I want details!"

"There's nothing to tell," Penelope purred "yet."

"I don't buy it. He's been glued to you all night. Something changed sometime and I want to hear all about it."

Just then Derek walked up and wrapped his arms around Penelope's waist from behind. "Mmm, mama, did you miss me?"

Penelope answered "With every breath I took, mon cher."

JJ rolled her eyes. "Brunch," she stressed the word, while pointing at Penelope, then she walked away with a smirk on her lips.

Leaving go of Penelope, Derek moved to the side of her. She turned to look at him. He asked "Do you want another drink?"

"I'm good."

They both hadn't had any alcohol that night. Derek had made sure to keep on top of getting Penelope non-alcoholic daiquiris all night though.

Derek flirted with Penelope "That you are, baby girl."

She chuckled sexily. "About time you find out just how good."

The rest of the night flew by in a haze of laughs and soon he was helping her slide on her coat, laying a kiss on her forehead and walking her out to her car. They chatted while it warmed up then he told her to get home safe and stood there on the curb watching her drive away.

A half hour later he called to make sure she was in her apartment and all right. She answered with "Speak to me, you amazing gift from God."

Smiling widely he told her "No, baby girl, you're my gift, not the other way around....Just wanted to find out if you're home and getting your sexy self ready for bed?"

"That I am. Though you know I would rather be getting you ready for my bed."

"Behave, woman, you don't want me to crash this car, do you?"

"Never, my love. But I just happen to know you can drive and talk dirty to me at the same time with no problem."

He chuckled. "A little skill I picked up along the way."

"That is what I love so much about you. You're so talented," she purred.

He couldn't stop smiling. "Okay, silly girl, off to dream land."

"I am kinda wiped out. That party was epic."

"Yeah, it was," he said in this deep and sexy tone that let her know he was remembering their kiss. "Thank you...very much...for showing me a very good New Year's Eve."

"It was my pleasure. You showed me a memorable New Year Eve's right back so I'd call us even."

"Cool......Good night, baby girl."

"Dream about me, Hot Stuff, and remember.....I'm the best."

He grinned as dirty thoughts filled his head. "Hush," he drug out the word before hanging up.