Disclaimer: I don't own a thing, but if I did there'd be a lot of loving between cases – just sayin' ;)
A/N: Quicker update than I have mustered before! You're all expecting the happily ever afters to begin now, but when have I ever made it easy? ;) Read, enjoy and I promise you the happiness is closing in on us, just with a bump or two on the way...
Thanks as always for the reviews, the response to this is phenomenal and means a lot! =)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- An Extraordinary Merry Christmas -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Feeling like the heavens above were playing around with fate, Penelope smiled as she saw Derek standing at her door looking delicious as ever.
Now as she was faced with him, she felt like there was purpose to Kevin's lunatic attempt at a show of affection. Not only that, but she felt like this moment depended on every breath and that if she didn't take the moment right there in her grasp she might as well never get the opportunity to take it again.
She had so many questions to ask him all of a sudden – questions she hadn't thought to ask as she had lived most of the December month in a daze of memories and dread. Now, however, after gaining clarity and losing baggage, she wanted to ask them and find out more.
Her best friend had booked the week before Christmas off, but had only disappeared for the first four days, since getting back he had been in work. Even as the case closed down the day before Christmas Eve he was there. She would have thought he would have flown to Chicago whilst the weather remained marginally okay.
Now, however, there was a blizzard setting in and he was on her doorstep.
"You shouldn't have driven," Penelope said delicately, voicing her concerns to him through her tone.
Derek smiled as he remained in the doorway. "I had to see you," He replied and smiled gently at her.
"You best come in," She told him and put her hand up to hold the door, the bracelet catching the light as it slipped down her arm a little.
"Oh you got it," Derek point out to the bracelet on her wrist, remaining in the doorway.
Penelope's face lit up as she thought of her words, she needed to play this right and tell him that she knew about all the presents, but she wanted to tease him. She wanted this to be normal like it always was between because, if she had to admit it, this was awkward. "I guessed it was from Kevin, because-"
"You thought he got that for you?" Derek cut in, his tone already becoming abrupt and fierce.
"Well yeah I mean they were with his other presents," Penelope defended and again Derek stopped her from explaining fully.
Derek's look hardened then, "I'm done. So, so, so done. You can have this and I'll ring you when I'm ready to talk to you. I can't believe you'd even think he'd get you something that actually had sentimental value. Hell, even get you anything worth anything. God, I really am so done with this now. Merry fucking Christmas, Garcia." Were the only words that Derek finally spoke to her before turning his back to her after he thrust a new present into her hands.
Penelope's eyes burned as she watched Derek walk away from her. She had watched Kevin pack up his things and leave to go to his parents, but this - watching Derek - this literally killed her. This was a casual goodbye; she had ruined what had obviously became a fragile situation. The pain that ripped through her as he got further and further away from her felt unbearable and for once she felt like she couldn't breathe, but it didn't stop her from following him.
How had she been this blind? How had she ignored the blatant fact that what she had felt all along might actually be reflected in her best friend?
Now she had to admit that as the minutes ticked closer and closer to Christmas Eve starting this was by far her worst year.
It was as she heard him start up the engine that she slipped down the door frame of the apartment block door and just stared at the bracelet in her hands. As she began to feel the sobs climbing in her throat she took the bracelet of and held the piece of perfect gold to her chest tightly willing this moment to not even be true.
It had taken everything for Derek to get here, and as he seemed to see the end of the tunnel he seemed to be fifty steps back. He had never been a man to be discouraged, but when the moment rested on what his heart really wanted he could not stop himself from readying to bolt. He needed to lick his wounds and deal with this how he could. He knew that day was coming, but at that moment the naivety of Penelope's behaviour and reactions scared him off and made his insecurities and barriers treble.
Penelope picked herself up off of the floor and headed back up to her apartment hastily. Everything had happened to fast and she had gotten caught too heavily by Derek's sudden angry outburst. So much so she had seemingly lost her voice in order to command the situation.
She had known the bracelet was from him the moment she had allowed the realisation to sink in. The first charm she had picked up was that of a strawberry twizzler – hers and Derek's favourite movie snap. Next to that on one side was a gun and on the other was a date - The exact date that they had met.
She had for a moment assumed the present belong to Kevin, but she didn't once she held the actual contents of the box in her hands. She was going to be playful, have a joke, but Derek had cut her off and his hurt had shone through.
The making up of their relationship needed more than a simple apology.
Looking at the presents strewn on her coffee table under their makeshift tinsel tree, she picked up one she knew was from Kevin and threw it before she went to grab another. The label caught her eye and stilled her aggression turning it to ice immediately.
Baby Girl, anything is possible.
She ripped at the paper quickly and opened it. The moment the paper was off she fell to the couch stunned. There in her hands was a scrapbook in purple, Derek's handwriting across the front. She ran her hand over the painted, almost tormented pattern on the front and saw fresh paper poking out of the top. Pulling them out she set the book on her lap and read.
Penelope, you deserve all of your family around. When I went away, I didn't go to my family, I went to yours. You should never feel guilty for being a teenager when the worst happened. Everything happens for a reason – or so I'm told.
Baby Girl, I am grateful for you every day. I love you and I always will. No bad day can come between us.
Merry Christmas,
Derek x
She moved that piece of paper to the back of the pile and saw penmanship that she recognised immediately. Her brother Caleb's writing was scrawled across the piece of paper as she read the double sided letter she picked out key points and felt herself breaking even more.
I know we were angry and we blamed you. You disappeared. Now I want my sister back. I miss you. I love you. I'm sorry for ever blaming you. Love Caleb.
She quickly skipped onto the next page and the next before hitting the final page. All of her brothers had written her letters and even though they were mostly full of memories they all shared and expressed such love and need to see her that she began to feel overwhelmed.
Then the book began to splay into a scrapbook set up. The first photo was of her and her parents and from there it was a spiral of memories. She couldn't withhold the bouts of laughter, the tears, the fears as she turned the pages and was reminded of a past life that felt like a million years ago.
Derek had given her this and she would be eternally grateful for this.
The penultimate page that was filled so far was of Derek with her brothers and she felt her breath hitch entirely in her throat. Her fingers traced the man that had brought her two worlds together and then they ran the course of the last two words - They're waiting.
Turning the last page apprehensively she looked at Derek's writing and smiled sadly.
Kevin might want to leave you, but going away at Christmas and leaving you behind is the hardest thing for me to do each year. So this year I am spending it with you, Baby Girl.
Our first Christmas together.
This is going to be our best Christmas.
Here's to an extraordinary Merry Christmas, Baby Girl.
Derek x
It hit her hard at what Derek had done with his week off. Derek had given up his Christmas break to be here with her and she hadn't even noted that he had. He chose to help her family than spend it with his own.
All the signs were there and she had ignored it.
First she had thrown herself into thinking that he boyfriend – ex-boyfriend – actually had a head that ran his heart from time to time and then she had thought that using her usual playful charm would work to make Derek realise that she knew the truth. Now, however, she had realised that childish ways were the last thing that were needed. For once, she needed to be solely responsible and serious and she hadn't been and as a result she had lost out and was left feeling like this.
There was only one more thing she could do with this moment and that was go to him.
She didn't care about the roads, about the weather, about anything. All she knew was that she couldn't sit around and let Christmas Day hit without making this right.
She still had time to make this the most extraordinary Christmas yet.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- An Extraordinary Merry Christmas -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-