Bits and Pieces

Chapter 3

Luke Alvez was a simple man. He didn't need much to be happy and lived with only the things he really needed. He believed in basic rituals and neutral colours. All of that changed the day he met Penelope Garcia. They were opposites in many ways, but Luke wouldn't change a thing. She had changed his world for the better and he would be forever grateful that he had found her.

Not one member of the team had been surprised by their new relationship. It was as if they had all expected it to happen. Luke had dreamed about it, but never thought he would win her over. Reid had spouted a bunch of numbers and statistics at him and how it was just meant to be, but Luke didn't care about the HOW. He was just glad they WERE.

Currently, both of his girls were curled up on his couch having a nap. She had arrived at his place early in the morning because he had promised to make her breakfast the night before. He had hoped she would have stayed the night, he even gently suggested it. Instead, she laughed it off, gave him a kiss and said she would see him in the morning. He hid his disappointment behind a smile, but he was tired of seeing her leave. Would she ever stay the night with him?

Luke had thought long and hard about broaching the subject with her, but he was afraid to push her for something she wasn't ready for. But Luke was ready, oh how he was ready. He wanted to lose himself in her, to forget about anything and everything except the feel of her surrounding him. He loved kissing Penelope. Every time she kissed him, the world seemed to stop. His heart beat erratically, his head spun and every last bit of him was on fire. It was becoming harder and harder to stop at only kissing. Luke would always let her decide how far things went, but he would never stop hoping for more.

"How long have I been sleeping?" Penelope yawned and stretched, accidentally disturbing Roxie in the process. She reached down to pet the dog in apology. "I guess I got up too early to come get my breakfast." Sitting up, she reached out for her boyfriend, pulling him onto the couch with her. He laughed as he landed awkwardly, half on the couch and half in her lap.

"Well, you know the solution to that?" Luke looked her straight in the eyes and held her gaze. "Stay the night." He watched as she visibly stiffened and her eyes darkened. Luke knew this was not going to go well and prepared himself to deal with her anger. Instead, he was taken aback by the tears that fell from her eyes. "Penelope, I'm sorry…I…"

"No Luke, it's not you. I knew today was coming. I even practiced what I was going to say. But now that the moment is here, I just don't know…" Penelope's tears fell harder and Luke pulled her closer to his chest. He said nothing, just held her while she cried.

After a while, Penelope's sobs became quiet sniffles. She pulled back to look at him. She only spoke two words, but they shattered his world. "I'm scared."

"Scared? What are you scared of Chica?" Luke cursed himself. Surely this was his fault. He had pushed her and now he had scared her. Seeing her tears had nearly broken him. When she looked at him again, he could feel the hurt and fear coming off her in waves.

"Luke, I am falling in love with you and that scares me more than anything. I have only really felt this much once before and it didn't end so well. I am afraid to let go, afraid to let my heart feel. I'm not sure I could come back from that again." Penelope had never wanted to sound so vulnerable, so lost. Luke had finally melted her heart, but was she ready to tell him everything? The bits and pieces her heart had been left in were just beginning to fuse together

Luke found himself at a loss for words. He had longed to hear Penelope use the word love, but he wanted her to be filled with joy about it, not sadness. He knew he would have to choose his words carefully. He gently took her hand and gently whispered to her, "I am here for you and I always will be. You are a part of me now Penelope. I am here to listen, or we can just sit here quietly. It is up to you." He pulled her back against him and tilted back into the cushions. It was up to her where they went now.

"Do you ever wonder why I was so frosty to you in the beginning?" She doesn't wait for him to answer, afraid she won't get through it if she stops. "You walked into the elevator and my heart betrayed me. It wanted to feel so badly and I couldn't let it. You were the most beautiful man I had ever laid eyes on and I knew; I knew my heart would want you. So, I tried to beat my feelings down. Remind myself of what happened the last time I fell for an impossibly handsome man. I tried so hard, but you wore me down. I dared to believe in you…in us." Her voice was steady now, but her words were coming out faster.

"I remember the first time I saw Morgan." Luke somehow knew this would all come back to Derek Morgan. He began to wonder if his shadow would always lurk over them. "I knew no one who looked like him could ever be interested in me, but I couldn't help myself. He brought out the best in me. I became more outgoing, let more of me shine through. I became his best friend, his confidante, his Baby Girl, but never his lover. I know he loved me, but he was never in love with me. He found his thin, gorgeous, perfect wife and he left me behind. I am his friend because I have told myself it is better this way, that it's enough. So I encased my heart in ice and let Derek Morgan go." For the first time, she looked him in the eye. "Then the hottest guy in the fugitive task force showed up and my heart wanted to thaw." She gave Luke a watery smile and took several calming breaths.

"I tried so hard to shut you out Luke. I know I was cold and defensive, but I didn't know what else to do. I just couldn't risk my heart again. I figured you would be just like Morgan; a completely unattainable man who would use me and leave me. The way you look, with that smile, you could have any woman in the world. Even if I let go of all my fears and insecurities, can you honestly say this body will be enough for you?" Her last sentence was so quiet, Luke barely heard her. She had simply run out of steam.

Luke wasn't sure where to begin. He knew he couldn't fix all the wrongs that had been done to her. He would have given everything he had to make it all right, but he knew he couldn't. At least not right now. But what he could do was tell her how he felt. He kept one hand over hers, while the other gently wiped away her tears. He kept his hand on her cheek and tilted her head until she was looking at him.

"I can't speak for Morgan, because I am not him. I. Am. Not. Derek. Morgan. I am Luke Alvez and you, Penelope Grace Garcia, are everything." Penelope tried to turn away, but he held her in place. "You are the first person I think of when I wake up and the last thought when I close my eyes at night. You fill my life with colour and wonder and I strive to be the person you deserve. For the first time in a long time, I am happy. You are the first woman that I have wanted to take home to my family. I love laughing with you and watching you play with Roxie. Before you, I never knew I needed glitter, rainbows and unicorns. Now I couldn't imagine my life without them." He allowed himself a small chuckle when he noticed a slight smile on her face.

"On top of all that, you are also the most beautiful, sexy and genuine woman I have ever had the pleasure to know." He placed a finger to her lips to silence her protest. "When I look at you, time stands still. My heart beats so fast, I'm afraid it might burst. You ignite a fire in my very soul with every kiss and it takes every ounce of my will power to stop at only kissing you. So yes Penelope, that incredible body of yours will always be enough for me." He sighed. If he was going this far, he might as well go for broke.

"When I ask you to stay the night, it is because a piece of me leaves with you when you go. I want you to stay and spend the night in my arms. I want to make love to you. I want to worship every inch of your body. I want to hear you moan my name as you let yourself go completely. I want to wrap my arms around you as we sleep, utterly spent. Then I want to see you still there in the morning so I can do it all over again. I will do whatever it takes until you believe you are beautiful, wanted and loved." The words tumbled out of his lips so fast, but felt so right.

Penelope stared at him in amazement. Had he really meant it all? She looked in his eyes and gasped. His eyes held nothing but truth. She struggled with what to say and found no words would come. Luke sensed her hesitation and spoke one last time.

"Chica, I want to do all I said and I hope one day soon we will." She blushed. "But until you are ready, I will wait. You are worth waiting for. Until then, kissing you and being together is enough. You are enough." With those words, Penelope made up her mind. She stood, never letting go of his hand and led him down the hall. She paused in front of his bedroom. Without facing him, she asked one question.

"Luke, will you hold me tonight?" His answer needed no words. He opened the door and led her inside. He was at peace.

Morning arrived too quickly. They had received a call from Emily asking them to come in as soon as they could. They made a quick stop at her place so she could change before making their way to the office. They were silent during the car ride, each content to simply be in each other's company. Neither could stop grinning and as soon as the elevator door closed, they found themselves pressed together in a kiss. They both knew things had changed and there was no going back. They were so into each other, they never noticed when the elevator stopped and the door opened.

"When I said to be friendlier to Alvez, that isn't quite what I had in mind." Penelope's eyes widened in surprise and Luke's darkened with anger. "Hey Baby Girl."