Hello! Thanks to everyone who read, fav'd, and alerted! This chapter is like Derek's thoughts and a little bit more of Bridget's past. Also I did change the rating because I thought, because of the mention of drug use, it should be higher.

Disclaimer: I don't own Criminal Minds.

It was late afternoon and the rain from that morning had long since stopped. Derek sat on the bed next to a sleeping Bridget. He looked down to see her small, warm fingers entwined with his own large ones. They were pale and delicate next to his. Smooth where his were calloused. Her fingernails were short and painted a deep purple. Derek knew that Bridget had gone with Garcia a few days ago and gotten them done together. He also knew that it was an effort for the two to reconcile after two weeks of tense moments and almost-fights, all of which stemmed back to Garcia wanting to bring Kevin to their team dinner that was supposed to be in a few days.

Bridget and Kevin hadn't gotten along since Bridget moved up to DC and constantly made it clear to everyone, including Kevin, that she thought that Garcia could do so much better. Bridget didn't say anything for a while because it really wasn't her business and Garcia had been dating Kevin before Bridget moved there, but as Bridget and Garcia became closer friends, Bridget's criticisms of Garcia's boyfriend slowly started to seep out. Mainly, they were just comments that Kevin wasn't right for Garcia and that she could do so much better.

The things Bridget said started out as simple concerns that maybe Kevin was treating Garcia right but they'd become back-handed soon after and had most recently turned to more blatant comments and suggestions of men that Garcia would be much better paired with.

Of course, it wasn't one-sided. Kevin was outright rude to Bridget and constantly said that she acted haughty and trashy but Derek had a feeling that Kevin's hatred of Bridget was because Kevin was never fully accepted by the team, while Bridget fit in almost immediately. Or maybe the two were just too different that they couldn't even be friends. Whatever the reason, the two didn't get along.

Listening to Bridget's even, almost silent breathing, Derek thought about what she'd told him before she fell asleep. He was still slightly in shock. Cocaine. He couldn't really wrap his head around the idea. He also wasn't sure how the news of a senator's daughter going to rehab had been kept quiet. Well, apparently she and Sergeant Rodriguez had been successful in keeping it out the news. He knew that paparazzi followed her as a teen because of her "party girl" tendencies and this would be quite big news if it got out. They found her again after she graduated from law school and began in a law firm.

The firm took high profile cases which they almost always won. Case after case, her face popped up on the news. He remembered seeing her on national news channels a few years ago. She looked young but professional and kept her cool when talking to the media outside of the courtroom. Derek definitely found her attractive and even thought that she could make a good addition to the FBI someday. Little did he know that this "partier-turned-successful lawyer" would soon become his best friend.

His best friend, who had just told him that she was a coke addict, was still sleeping soundly when Derek's phone beeped, signaling a text message. Emily let him know that they were going to get dinner and asked if Derek and Bridget wanted them to bring them back something, since she figured that Bridget wouldn't be up for going out somewhere. Derek replied, just saying to bring them back anything. They all knew each other well enough by now to know what they would eat. He figured he would wake Bridget up when the team came back with their food. For now, he needed time to process the information Bridget had told him earlier.

First, he was infuriated with the ex-boyfriend that had introduced the drug to Bridget. The guy was sick and Derek knew that if he got a hold of him, he would make the guy pay for making Bridget hurt and go through that horrible experience.

He was also furious with Bridget for deciding to do drugs in the first place. His jaw clenched and the hand that wasn't holding Bridget's curled tightly into a fist. He knew she'd done some stupid stuff in the past but this was about as dumb as she could've gotten. Derek would definitely let her know that, but he couldn't do it now. Not when she was grieving a friend's death and she had just confided this secret in him. He would feel like an ass if he did it now, but he vowed himself that he would tell her.

Derek would be forever thankful to Sergeant Rodriguez for sending Bridget to rehab and getting her the help that she needed and Derek found himself wishing that he could tell Matt that himself.

Another quiet beep rang through the phone as Derek's phone received another text message. Emily again: How's she doing? He typed back that she was asleep. He didn't mention anything about what Bridget had told him and he had a feeling that this would be a secret that he'd be taking to the grave.

Then he thought about the promise that Bridget had made with Matt. If Matt was gone, had broken his promise, would Bridget still keep up her end of the deal or would she break her promise also? Derek would do everything in his power to make sure that she never got into drugs ever again.

His heart rate kicked up a few notches when he thought about the reality of the situation. Bridget was extremely miserable right now and had a history of using a drug which promised an intense high. Would this lead her to start using again? For the first time in a long time, Derek sent a prayer up to God that Bridget would be okay.

Almost an hour later, Derek walked out to the balcony. The sky was darkening but lights brightened the city. From this high, he felt like he could see the whole city. To his right he saw the beach and the waves crashing silently against the sand. When he looked left, he saw buildings and roads covered with pinpricks of lights. He could hear the constant hum of cars driving by on the highway. It was chaotic and peaceful all at once.

He heard the quiet hiss of the sliding glass door as it opened behind him. He turned around and watched Bridget walk over towards him. She looked out towards the city and Derek looked at her. She leaned forward to rest her elbows on the railing and put her chin in her hands. Derek waited for her to say something. Bridget took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. Then she turned her head towards the beach.

Bridget knew that Derek was still looking at her face, studying her, but she still didn't look up at him.

Derek just waited as the silence stretched on. Bridget's eyes seemed to have glazed over and Derek was positive that she was lost in thought.

"What's going on in that pretty head of yours?" He had to know.

And there it was! He saw a small smile emerge on her face for the first time since she'd gotten the phone call back at the BAU. Her lips turned up at the corners and her eyes came back into focus.

"See that spot on the beach right there? Past the house with the blue roof?" She pointed to a house right along the shore line.

Derek nodded and waited for her to continue.

"That's where I got my first kiss in Miami. It was my second night here and my roommate brought me to the party. It was her cousin's house. And he was gorgeous," she laughed quietly, remembering.

Derek suddenly felt like Bridget had taken them back in time, back to when she was an eighteen year old. There was a certain innocence in her voice, though he knew she was far from pure when she moved down here for college. He smiled as he listened to her low voice.

"And right over there, that's one of my favorite places. It has that chill feeling of a bar but the energy of a club. Local bands play there on Fridays. I had some of the best nights of my life there." She nudged Derek's arm with her elbow. "I think you would love it there."

"Then I guess we'll have to go sometime," he tried to tone down the grin on his face but he was unbelievably happy to see her smile. Bridget nodded and looked back out at the view.

"That bar is where I first met Matty and his little brother. We were all in a huge group and we all got kicked out for fighting."

She gave a little laugh as she spoke, but then silence washed over them again. Derek reached over and rubbed her back when she dropped her face into her palms. He felt the sobs roll through her though she made no noise to give it away.

"Derek," Bridget choked out. "I'm so scared. I can't do this." Her voice was a whisper but Derek heard the words perfectly.

He pressed his chest against her back and wrapped his arms around her stomach.

"It's gonna be okay. I'm here, you know that, right?"

Bridget nodded, her head still in her hands. Then she stood up straight and wiped the tears from underneath her eyes. Derek's hands pulled back to rest on her hips. Bridget turned around to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Derek felt her soft cheek pressed against his and as she pulled back, Bridget turned her face as kissed the corner of Derek's lips.

Derek knew it didn't mean what he wished it did, but he knew it was just friendly. She kissed him, and others, like that often and if she'd been drinking, then sometimes he'd be lucky enough to get a kiss from her fully on the lips as she sat on his lap. Well, Derek thought, I'll take what I can get.

You shouldn't kiss me like this
Unless you mean it like that
Cause I'll just close my eyes
And I won't know where I'm at

Song is "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like That" by Toby Keith.

Okay guys, thanks for reading! It would make my day if you left a review to let me know what you think of the story!

Also I do realize that I made a mistake earlier in the story when I said she was a prosecutor like Hotch. Bridget was an attorney, a partner in a law firm, not a prosecutor. Sorry!