Chapter 4

Penelope sat in front of her computers typing away. Today was sort of a wasted day. Nothing exciting was happening; she had files to scan into the database and that was about it. She sighed. She was hoping to be busy as an elf before Christmas; instead, she got boredom and the blues.

To make things worse, Derek and the rest of the team were at a seminar in DC. There was no one to talk to: no Reid to tease, no JJ to chat with, no one. She'd even beg to field requests for Rossi today, she was that desperate.

Instead, she got to do a brainless job that left her to think about what happened to her last night and this morning. She was scared still, so scared she was shaking a little bit. Although she would never admit it to Derek, she didn't want him to worry. Not about her. He had enough things to worry about while on the job.

She thought about other relationships in the BAU. How Rossi had three divorces for reasons he never could explain, how Hotch worried constantly about Haley being under attack and how it became too much for him. She wasn't going to be like that for Derek, a lover but burden, too.

Then she thought of how it turned out for Haley and a chill ran up her spine.

"Damn it!" she said, tears coming to her eyes. She shook her head, trying to blow off this ache she had in her head and chest. She was being unreasonable. Tamara wasn't a serial killer with a vendetta like Foyet was. She was a grieving ex-girlfriend, for Pete sakes!

She knew in her heart, Tamara had every right to be angry, every right to hate her. She stole the most wonderful man in the world right out from under Tamara's nose. Derek never said more to her about their relationship, just he was glad it was over with Tamara and glad to be with her instead. But she knew the relationship was hot for awhile, so hot his friendship with her faltered. And at the holiday party, Tamara was all over Derek like a second skin.

Yes, Tamara was justified. If the tables were turned, Penelope knew she'd be devastated.

Still, that nagging worry started to creep in, the feeling something just wasn't right. She looked at the blank screen on one of her babies, and decided to be proactive, just in case. "Research…database….history…reports…Tamara Barnes," she murmured quietly, typing away.

Derek sat in the seminar, knowing the FBI wasted their money sending him. His brain was completely somewhere else. It didn't surprise him; when he was really pissed, it was hard to focus.

That bitch dared to threaten his Baby Girl.

Over what? He thought nastily. Their relationship was long dead before he hooked up with P. He was going through the motions at the party; he felt he made that abundantly clear to her. He agreed to host to help her out, not to be her lover. He only spoke with her briefly for weeks before that party; she had verbalized understanding.

The woman was a crack pot. There was no doubt about it. She could throw shoes at him, cause him to bleed, but to say anything at all about his girl…

He was hurt too that Penelope held back from him. He loved her; she should come to him with whatever little need she had. He'd take care of it for her. Didn't she know she was his life? He started to panic, wondering if she was holding anything else back. He needed to do a little talking to his baby girl.

Then he was going to talk to his ex and let her know exactly what he thought of her threats. A chill went down his spine, along with white hot rage. BANG! You're dead, soon. Thinking of you, Tamara.

The pencil he was holding snapped.

"Morgan, is everything okay?" Hotch whispered quietly.

"No, it isn't."

"It isn't Garcia, is it?" Worry immediately crept into their leader's voice.

"No, she's fine; we're fine," Derek quickly reassured him. "I just have some things I need to sort out and look into."

"Do you need to leave?" Hotch placed his hand on Derek's shoulder with complete understanding. "Family always comes first, Derek."

He smiled at Hotch. "Thanks, man."

And then he was out the door.