"Flight 267 to Chicago…cancelled," Derek read as his eyes studied the screen. "You?"

"Flight 331 to Boston…cancelled," Penelope chimed in.

Derek supposed he should sigh or show some other outward sign of dismay as he'd just been delayed in his quest to see his family. The truth of the matter, however, was that he was going to be spending the foreseeable future with the woman who'd long ago stolen his heart, and that made this precious time merry and bright.

So he turned to her, trying to show just the right amount of disappointment. "What do you think?" he asked.

Penelope sighed. "I guess…I need to get a hotel room for the night," she answered.

"Me, too," he agreed with what he hoped was a sympathetic smile. "Shall we begin our pursuit?"

After Penelope nodded, they went in search of their luggage, and then a cab.

They'd stopped at a drug store for the toiletries they were going to need and then begun their hotel expedition. When Derek had spoken the words, neither one of them had realized what a pursuit it was going to be to find a room! With all of the cancelled flights, the hotels were filled to capacity. To make matters worse, unpredicted snowfall had just begun in New York City. The flakes were dropping fast and they were huge, making it nearly impossible for the cab driver to see where he was going.

After the third hotel they'd tried, they returned to the waiting cab—the driver was making a mint with each unsuccessful trip—and Penelope plopped down into the seat, sliding over so Derek could sit next to her. "I swear to God, if we don't get a room at the next hotel we stop at, I'm going back to LaGuardia and crashing there!" she exclaimed sulkily.

Derek fought to hold back a chuckle. Sure…he'd like to be able to spend the night reminiscing with Penelope in a nice, cozy hotel room (his or hers, it didn't really matter) over a warm, scrumptious dinner, but he'd settle for an airport waiting area with steamed hot dogs and potato chips if he had to. But in a show of support, he planted a scowl on his face and pretended to concur.

"What's this song?" Derek asked with a frown on his face.

"'Fairytale of New York," Penelope answered absently, wishing the people in front of them would hurry up. There was a whole cluster of them, and if they got the last few rooms, she wasn't sure what she might do! She was tired, she was cranky, and after reminiscing about her past with Derek (not to mention saying goodbye to him again,) she was emotionally drained. All she wanted was a room where she could go in and relax.

Derek's grimace deepened. "Newsflash. New York is sure as hell no fairytale," he muttered, looking around before lowering his voice. "And is it wrong that this song makes me want to get drunk?" he asked.

Penelope couldn't help but laugh. "Now that you mention it, I could use a stiff one," she agreed absently.

When she heard his breath hitch, a blush immediately crept up her neck and flooded her face.

"Rum and coke," she clarified in a croaky voice.

"Can I help you?" the woman behind the counter asked, saving her from further embarrassment.

"Yes," they said in unison as they stepped up to the counter.

"We need rooms," Derek informed her.

The woman smiled. "You're in luck," she told him. "We have one room left."

"Oh, we need separate rooms," Penelope said quickly.

"I'm afraid we only have the one," the woman said apologetically.

"But we—"

"We'll take it," Derek said, sliding his credit card across the counter.

"Excuse us for one second," Penelope said as she took him by the arm and pulled him aside. "Derek…I—I have to know…is there…are you with anyone?" she asked hesitantly. If she was, she didn't really want to know, but she wouldn't share a hotel room with another woman's man…platonically or otherwise. It would take every ounce of strength she had, but she'd high tail it out of there and find another hotel.

"No," he answered without delay.

Penelope nodded carefully. "OK," she said softly. "I'm fine with us sharing a room, then."

As they stepped up to the counter, the woman got the information she needed from Derek and then gave them their total; Penelope nearly fainted. But that was what happened when you were forced to spend the night in Times Square.

"Thank you very much," the young woman said, returning Derek's credit card. She'd tried to pay for half of the bill, but he had refused to let her. "Here is a key for each of you. The only one we had left was the honeymoon suite, but I gave it to you at the cost of a regular room with a king-sized bed."

"Thank you," Derek said.

A bell hop appeared to whisk their luggage up to the room, and Penelope and Derek silently made their way to the elevators. She had no idea what the next few hours held for them, but Penelope was eager to find out. Because one thing was for certain—there'd never been a single night she'd spent with Derek that had been boring.

At the sound of the door clicking to indicate it was un-locked, Penelope pushed it open and preceded Derek into their hotel room.

"Hmmm," she said in wonder as she looked around.

"What?" he asked, noticing that their bags had already arrived.

"Ummm…" Penelope felt her cheeks heat once again; she hadn't realized she spoken aloud, and discussing their past sex life while on a plane with a bunch of other people around was one thing, but in a honeymoon suite they were sharing? That was quite another. "I just realized that out of all the places we had sex, we never did it in a hotel room," she murmured.

"Hey, I had a perfectly good backseat," Derek reminded her with a grin.

"That wasn't a complaint…just an observation," she assured him quickly.

"There used to be this thing I'd do…" he started.

She immediately knew what he was talking about, and her thighs began to quake at its mere mention.

"Do you still like that?" he asked, correctly reading her expression.

Penelope felt her face flush immediately. That was happening a lot tonight! "I don't…I haven't…I wasn't with anyone long enough to let him do that," she admitted in embarrassment.

"No one else?" he asked gruffly.

Penelope quickly shook her head, and Derek couldn't stop the feeling of extreme satisfaction that saturated his entire being.