A/N: What can I say? When I initially wrote the story I'd two options for Kevin. One in which he's the bastard and the other one where I'd make him nice and sweet - and make P nevertheless go for Morgan. I decided to make him a jerk, I just ... don't like Kevin. Although I kinda feel bad for Nicholas Brandon, for playing such a hated character. =)


Morgan spent hours showing Penelope the city, playing tour guide and not even having any idea of where they were going or what they were looking at. He simply made up stories and things that were supposed to have taken place at the millions of fountains and places they walked past. Penelope had never laughed more than during the hours they walked around the city. He made up millions of stories, telling them with such a straight face that Penelope had to wonder occasionally whether his stories might not have occasionally a bit of truth with them.

When they made it back to their hotel it was way past midnight and Penelope started to be a bit tipsy. They had stopped on route back to their hotel in another small restaurant again, ordering some more wine and some more ice cream for Penelope. By now she had eaten more ice cream than actual food. Not that she minded for now.

After Morgan took a quick shower his plans had been to go to bed, sleeping on the floor as he had told Penelope earlier, just taking some of her millions of cushions to make it a bit more comfortable. But one look at his best friend and his plans changed. It seemed like the short while he had been under the shower she spent with thinking. Thinking about things he didn't want her to think and worry about right now. Things like Kevin Lynch, her wedding and the things he had said to her in his voicemails.

One look at her and he could see the pain and some doubts coming back.

He walked over to her, sat down on the bed next to her and put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her against him just a moment later and wrapping her up in his arms.

"Whatever you are thinking right now, Baby Girl, don't. He seriously isn't worth it. If that's the way he treats you, I am actually glad you came with me on this little trip to Italy instead of getting married. He doesn't deserve you anyway. You are a true goddess and deserve a guy who treats you like one. Waits on your hand and foot, cherishes you and anticipates your every wish. You deserve … only the best, the royal treatment and should get massages and foot rubs, red roses and breakfast in bed every single day for the rest of your life. That's what you should have and should get and nothing less. And Kevin Lynch … didn't do any of that," Morgan explained. By now he was laying fully in the bed, resting his head against the headboard and having her laying against him, her head on his chest, listening to his words.

"Kevin never did any of it because I don't want that. I don't want the guy to do things cause he feels like he has to do them. And I never expect anything like that anyway, because – " Penelope started, but got interrupted by Morgan, before she could finish.

"Hang on there, momma. First a guy shouldn't have to, but want to, because you are so very worth the trouble, which actually isn't trouble at all, but a pleasure. And then just because you don't want this wouldn't stop me from still doing it. You deserve pampering and being spoilt, just because you are so … special and unique and such a great person. That should be your general treatment. "

Penelope just sighed at her best friend. Of course he would say things like that, just to make her feel better for a moment and make her forget Kevin Lynch.

"You … you don't have to do that, you know, Hot Stuff?"

"Do what?" Morgan asked confused, lifting his lead from the headboard to look at her.

"Say all these things and … be like that. I will be okay … sooner or later."

"Baby .. I don't say this or do any of this because of tonight or what Lynch said to you. This is my general opinion since I met you. This is how I have thought that it should be for you since six years. This ain't an act or anything like that. This is how I think about you. And you shouldn't settles for anything less, or anyone who will offer you anything less. You deserve it all, what you want and so much more."

Instead of answering Penelope just made an 'hmmm' sound, sounding neither like she agreed nor disagreed and fell asleep soon after. Morgan stroked her hair softly, just sighing, knowing him to convince her to just settle for the best was a lost battle. Since years he had said the same, but Penelope never shared his opinion and on some days he wondered why she would settle only for second best. He was never a fan of Kevin Lynch and had told his best friend she could do so much better than him numerous times over the years, but in the end all he wanted for her was to be happy. And if Lynch made her happy he certainly wouldn't have stood in the doorway to her happiness. But as they knew now, Lynch didn't. And that broke Derek's heart. Why did his best friend need to be so stubborn anyway?

He didn't know how much longer after her he fell asleep, but eventually he did, with his arms wrapped tightly around Penelope. It was all he could do for now. But it certainly wouldn't be the only thing, they had after all a few more days under the Italian sun and Morgan had every intention of making Penelope happy and getting her to smile a lot more. If Lynch couldn't do it, Morgan didn't have a problem stepping up to the challenge and showing his best friend a great time.