Derek pulled up to Emily's condo 15 minutes early. He actually went out and bought a few white roses. One for Emily, for being a good friend, and the rest for Lexi. He wasn't usually a sucker for romance, but he thought it might sweeten Lexi up. He knocked on the door. He had never been up to Emily's condo before. When Emily opened the door she said, "You clean up pretty good."

"So do you." He teased, because Emily was wearing a sexy black dress that sparkled. Any man might just die looking directly at her. He handed her the rose.

"Great." She ripped the stem off. "What? Want a glass of wine?" She ignored his look.

"That wasn't a cheap rose."

Emily laughed. "I'll make good use of it." She said, grabbing pins and pulling up half her hair. She pinned the rose in.

Derek wandered in her kitchen. "So how long have you known Lexi?"

"We went to Yale together."

Derek did math in his head. "But she's like 5 years younger than you."

"Yeah, well...Lexi did a lot of summer sessions. She's smart. And I took a year off at one point. We ended up in the same graduating class and graduate school. Where does she work now?"

"At a university in Maryland. The one in college park. She's a research associate."

"Good for her."

"So what else do you know about her?"

Emily shrugged. She knew a lot about her. Lexi knew a lot about Emily. Things Emily didn't want Derek to know. "She's from Richmond. Have you met her parents?"

Derek shuddered. Right. Parents. He had to call his mother sometime and break the news. And he would eventually have to meet her parents. That thought made his stomach drop. He hadn't met a woman's parents in years. And never on these terms.

"Ah...no I haven't." They left for his car.

On the way to the gala he decided to do some research. "Have you met her parents?" Emily nodded. "What are they like?"

She stared opened mouthed at Derek. "You mean Derek Morgan wants to meet her parents? Wow, this girl must mean something to you." She giggled.

"I don't want to meet her parents."

"You know she's Greek right?"

"Half Greek. She said her mother was black."

"Well her father is some business owner in Richmond and he's from Greece. Her mother's from the Diaspora in South Africa. Quite a combination." Emily laughed.

*~*

Once they got to the Gala, Derek scanned immediately for Lexi. "See her yet?" Emily asked, whilst snatching a glass of champagne from a waiter.

"She'd come to this reunion right?" Derek said instead, making his way through the room. Emily followed behind him, gulping down her drink.

"Sure. She always went to them when I knew her. Let's hold down a table."

"I need to find her." He left her at a table in the back. As he made his way through the room once more...he spotted her. She was in a bright blue dress, her curly hair pulled back. She made his heart melt, and he was 20 feet away. He walked right up behind and touched her arm.

"Derek--What are you doing here?" She asked completely surprised.

"I just really needed to see you."

"Oh." She must have been aware of the crowd, for she didn't say anything else. Another man walked up to them.

"Did you get a table Lex?" He said handing Lexi, his Lexi, a glass of water. Who the hell was this guy? Derek thought, not wanting to believe that she could have possibly moved on in that short a time. Lexi looked between Derek and the man, silently picking up Derek's panic, anger or whatever he was experiencing.

"Derek, this is my cousin Andres. Andres...this is...Derek. Andres is visiting from Santorini."

"Hello." Her cousin greatly happily. He had no idea of the past tension between Derek and Lexi. "Shall we grab a table then?" He suggested.

"Why don't you go find one? Derek, can I talk to you for a moment."

"Sure." Derek would accept anything right now.

*~*

She led him into a deserted hallway.

He started before she could speak. "I just wanna say again how sorry I am for saying and doing the things I did. I didn't mean any of it. Just give me another shot baby." He pulled her in for a kiss, and was relieved when she relaxed. Then she pulled away.

"That's not why I wanted to talk to you—"

"But you forgive me right?"

"Fine. Whatever, I didn't react that well either, I guess. But—" She grabbed his hands as she spoke. "That's not it. A lot of my colleagues and all of my bosses are in there tonight. I don't want them to know that I'm pregnant. So you can't tell anyone yet. Not even my cousin knows. Okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. Man, I'm just so glad you're not mad anymore. I haven't even told my mom. I dunno what she's gonna say." He laughed. "Have you told your parents?"

"Mhmm. Oh...the dinner's about to begin."

"What was their reaction?" He asked cautiously. Her father must hate me, he thought to himself.

"They were fine. Where's Andres? Who did you come with anyways?"

"Just a friend from work. She wasn't gonna come but I talked her into it. She said she knew you. Emily Prentiss." Lexi gave him an incredulous look.

"Emily Prentiss? Ambassadors' daughter? Since when did she move back to town?"

"Last year I think. There she is." Lexi waved Andres over.

Emily was on her third glass of champagne when they arrived. It was the only way to survive these parties. "Emily, Lexi. You ladies know each other." Derek re-introduced. The women smiled politely at each other.

"How nice to see you again." Andres Chellos said in his thick Greek accent. He hugged her tightly, and then sat down beside her.

"I didn't know you were in the BAU Em." Lexi asked as Emily downed her drink.

"Yeah. I got transferred here in November. We've been so busy since then."

"Andres can you get me a glass of water?" Lexi asked.

"I'll get it for you babygirl." Derek offered.

*~*

At the refreshment table when a pretty blonde came up beside him. "Your Derek right? Hi, I'm Deanna, one of Lexi's friends." They shook hands.

"How far along is she?" Deanna asked smoothly.

"Well, Lexi really doesn't want a lot of people to know yet, but she's only like 9 or 10 weeks."

"Oh right. Yeah if her bosses found out they'd take her off the Oregon trip."

"What Oregon trip?" Lexi had gotten hurt on her Pennsylvania trip. Some debris had fallen on her. She only had minor bruising but now she was pregnant. If she got hurt, he wouldn't know what to do. She couldn't go.

He went back to the table. "So you didn't tell me you're going to Oregon." He said tightly. No way was she going on that trip. She was pregnant. She needed to stay safe and secure. He would make sure of that.

"What?" She asked distractedly. The lights were dimming and people grew quiet. Speeches were beginning.

"The Oregon trip."

"What about it?"

"You didn't tell me about it." He whispered. Then disaster struck.

In retrospect he should have seen it coming. The pretty blonde was up on the podium making an announcement.

"I'd like to thank all of you for coming out tonight. I have a very special announcement to make on behalf of our own Alexia Chellos. I'd like to tell you all; that she is expecting her very first child. Congratulations!" There was polite clapping. Murmurs of congratulations. Lexi sat stiffly beside him staring straight ahead. Emily's mouth hung open.

"Is it true?" Andres asked. Lexi glared him down.

"How'd she know?" She whispered to herself, and only Derek, who was sitting beside her, could hear.

"That girls name is Deanna right?" He asked carefully. He had just won some game back, and he didn't want to ruin it all over again.

"Yes." She hissed, silently seething.

"She already knew, she asked me how far along you were. I didn't know you didn't tell her."

"You told her?" Lexi's eyes flashed. Derek hesitated. "I asked you for one thing. One thing! Not to tell anyone. Is that too much to ask?" People were starting to look at their table.

"She said she was one of your friends. It's not my fault."

"It's true Lexi." Emily put in. Lexi only rounded on her next.

"Like you two know who my friends are. God, what the hell are you even doing here Emily? You never come to these." Derek had never seen Lexi so angrily restrained. He opened his mouth to defend himself, but Lexi cut him off.

"It's over and done with. Leave it alone." She vehemently threw he napkin down. The table descended into an awkward silence. When the lights came back on, people started moving around again.

"I'm leaving." Lexi suddenly announced.

"Oh come on Lexi. Don't let that girl bother you. Stay and have some fun." Her cousin said.

"Fun? I don't think being asked by every old fricking woman here when I'm due or why I'm not married is going to be fun. Good bye."

"I'll drive you home." Derek took hold of her wrist to slow her down.

"Whatever." She snapped.

"Do you have money for a cab?" He asked Emily (on her fourth glass of champagne).

"I'll drive you home." Andres suggested happily. Everyone was set.

Lexi was still fuming by the time they got to his car. She also stopped speaking. It was an uncomfortable drive. He didn't want to do anymore damage. "I really didn't know she would do that." He said sincerely to her. He watched her profile for any sign of reaction. Her eyes were watery and her mouth was a thin line.

"It's just like her to do something like this."

"What do you mean?"

"Deanna Monroe and I are competing for the same position in this whole Oregon excavation. If she thinks she can get me to be kicked off this project; she's wrong. I already told my immed boss I was pregnant and she's fine with it. God this is causing me so many problems already."

"I can help." He heard her sigh as he pulled into her driveway.

"Right. Thanks for the drive home."

"No problem." They didn't move. For once in his life, Derek didn't know what to say to a woman. He wanted everything to go back to the way it was, and yet it couldn't. Their whole relationship was changed.

He watched Lexi climb up her front steps knowing it would never be the same again. For 3 months they had been comfortable, relaxed and easy with each other. He felt a freedom he never had before. Never with a woman he was dating. Or even sleeping around with. Now it was tense, anxious and uncertain. Uncertain if he could actually do this. If he could be a good father, a good boyfriend or whatever. Time would only tell.

*~*

Special thanks to Catarcy and Lovingmylife for reviewing. And also thank you to those alerts I got. It means a lot to first time writers.

Reader participation: I just want to know if I am getting the characters right? Tell me what you think in your review!