"Hey,
do you guys know where Derek is?" Penelope asked worriedly. He
hadn't been in the office since lunchtime and he wasn't answering
her calls.
"Um no. He left pretty abruptly after lunch. I was
going to ask you what that was about." En answered.
"I have
no idea. I might give Fran a quick call and make sure everyone on
that end is okay. Let me know when he comes back in?"
"Will
do. Keep me posted."
"I will."
Penelope walked to her
office, her brow furrowed worriedly. She was surprised to find him
sitting absently fidgeting on her chair.
"Hey Dirk, I was just
getting worried about you? What gives? You've been MIA for hours."
When Derek remained unresponsive Penelope closed the distance between
them in a few steps,
"Baby what's wrong?"
"P, I have
son." He murmured as he looked up at her,
"Wow, whose?" she
asked trying to rack her brain for possibilities,
"It's
before your time," he piped in,
"Ahhh, Melissa?" she
guessed as he nodded clearly still shell shocked.
Melissa was the love of his life. They were together for most of college and the beginning of Police Academy and the more he got into his career, the more they drifted apart. There were plans of marriage, but a few months before they were to get married, shortly before he was to join the BAU Melissa had confessed to falling in love with someone else. It was a part of his life that no one outside his family and Penelope knew about. Penelope often cringed on his behalf when the other would tease him about being a player because it was so far from the truth.
"That
would make,"
"Him, about six years old."
"Oh wow! She
never thought to tell you till now?"
"Apparently with the way
things ended between us she didn't know how." He said somewhat
bitterly as her heart went out to him.
"Oh Cupcake I'm
sorry." She said draping her arms around his shoulders hugging him,
her chin resting on his head as he remained sitting down. Derek
hugged her arms to his chest and leaned his head against her ,
"Why
now?" she asked the million dollar question,
"She's getting
remarried, and they're moving to Uruguay for his work, and let's
just say he wants to start a fresh."
"So what she's ready to
dispose of a child at his request? A child she deprived you of
knowing all these years?" Penelope exclaimed in disgust.
"P,"
he said gently knowing she was getting ready to work up a rant.
Penelope stopped and saw the look on his face and merely
sighed.
"What's next?"
"I am meeting him for the first
time this afternoon. I'm going to meet them at the park."
"Does
he know who you are?"
"Yeah, apparently she's told him
about me, he has pictures," Derek could see that Penelope bit back
the sarcasm that she was dying to express.
"P," he began,
"There if you need me Dirk."
"Thanks P."
"No
biggie. Just swing by and get me when you're ready." Derek nodded
standing up. He turned and pulled her into his arms and hugged her
tightly, grateful that she was there for him so unconditionally.
