Author's note:I just re-watched The Fox. Reid was a little confident in his interrogation ability, dontcha think? He was pretty bad ass. And Gideon is intense! Geez. For those reading Life (You should go read it if you haven't) I still won't be posting a new chapter until Monday, but… I finished one (of four papers due by then) and I thought I'd reward myself with some Elle goodness. Oh and I have a question? This story is going to follow Elle mostly after Aftermath/The Boogeyman (those are the names of her last episodes aren't they?), so.. Do you guys want a companion piece to this story, that shows Morgan's POV through all this and that? Or I mean, is the show enough for that for y'all? Leave your thoughts in a Review, or PM me for further conversations. Or just PM to chat, because… I need a reason to procrastinate.


Elle doesn't talk to Morgan (other than about case related issues) during the case or the days that follow. He doesn't come to her house either. He barely acknowledges that she exists if he doesn't have to for the next couple weeks. He and Reid, on the other hand, seem even closer. Reid wouldn't stop talking about how Derek had gone with him to the sci-fi movie they had been talking about weeks ago. They were closer and that didn't anger Elle or anything. She was glad. She knew that Reid looked up to the older man and that Derek thought of Reid as the little brother he never had. She was glad they were getting along, but she didn't understand how the man could not be angry with Reid, but be angry with her. Reid was doing the same things she was doing. He was having sex with someone he cared about, just as she was. Of course, she was the one that knew about his abuse, but it wasn't her fault that he was that way or that he thought the way he did. She looks over at him as he works. He needed to just get over his anger at her and at the end of the day, she makes her way over to his house to end the silent treatment.

He opens the door and she sees the dog first. It's the ugliest dog she's ever seen.

She raises her eyes from the chubby, droopy, and toothy dog. "Hey."

He must notice the look. "Elle, this is Clooney. Clooney, Elle."

She laughs at the name. "After George Clooney? Please, Derek."

He frowns. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"That dog is butt ugly!"

He looks offended. He kneels over and picks up the fat dog. "He is not! Don't listen to her, she's just jealous."

She looks at him, surprised he's talking to the dog, but ignores it. "I just came over to talk. You've been ignoring me."

"I didn't have anything to say." He sets the dog on the couch before looking back at her.

"You sure had something to say when you got drunk."

"I was having a bad week." He mutters, moving to the kitchen.

"So you decided to come over and take it out on me? How is that right? And now you're acting like it's my fault."

She watches him as he tenses. He doesn't say anything, so she continues to push.

"I didn't cause you to feel the way you feel, Derek. I didn't moles-"

"You made me feel it again!" He slams his hands against the counter. "I was doing fine and you brought it up again! You made me feel like this!"

She stares at him. "Made you feel like what, Derek?"

"Like I'm…" He breathes in, clenches his jaw. "Like I'm doing the same thing."

She frowns. "How did I make you feel like that? I would never-"

He shakes his head. "I don't care for these women. I don't even know their names sometimes. I mean, I ask, but I don't really care. I just…I use them….like-like he used me, so how am I any different?"

Elle sits on the bar stool, looking at him as he struggles. He's not a bad guy at all. She had been a little annoyed at him during their talk, how he did just use women, but when faced with the realization of what he was doing, he was remorseful. He did feel bad.

"The fact that you're asking yourself makes you different." She reaches out to grab his hand. "You're not him, Derek."

"But I do-"

"You aren't forcing these women, Derek. You aren't doing anything that hurts them. They want you. You give them that dazzling grin of yours and flirt and they fall into your charm, they agree to go home with you. You aren't doing anything wrong."

He doesn't look convinced.

"You know I would kick your ass if it was like that." She teases him a little. He looks at her for a moment before chuckling, shaking his head.

She smiles, reaching out to run her hand over his head. "Now tell me about this dog. Why in the world did you pick the ugliest one?" She asks, trying to lighten the mood.

He looks at her before his eyes move to the dog on the couch with a hint of a pout. "He's an English bulldog and he is not ugly."

She looks back at the fat dog on the couch. "Uh huh."

Deal Breaker || Breaking the Cycle || Chapter 11

A week passes much differently than the last two. A couple nights out of the week, she finds herself at Derek's, walking the ugly dog. She had never thought Morgan would have a dog, much less like the one he had, but thinking about it and watching how much he cared for it, it made sense. He was looking for something to be close to, but unable to build a lasting relationship with a woman - so a dog was the next best thing. And Morgan loved his dog. He moves to a bench to sit, rubbing the dog's stomach as it lays out, enjoying the break. Derek looks up at her before she sits down next to him, making sure the dog doesn't touch her. Derek gives her a look.

"What? Are you a cat person?" He asks and she gives him unimpressed look.

"I'm not an animal person in general."

He chuckles, shaking his head. "How can you not like animals? You need a little Chihuahua or something."

She raises an eyebrow before she scoffs. "If I was going to get a dog, it'd be a pit or a Rottweiler."

He looks impressed. "Remind me not get on your bad side, woman."

Deal Breaker || Breaking the Cycle || Chapter 11

After the LSD case, Derek and Elle go to the bar to celebrate the lives saved. She watches him as he watches a woman. She follows his stare before smirking when she sees a curvy Latina. "Good choice," She muses.

He turns his attention back to her. "What?"

"The woman. She's caliente."

He smirks. "Oh, you think so?"

She shrugs. "Women aren't really my type, but…I think you should go talk to her."

He watches her for a moment before looking back at his drink. "I don't think so."

She rolls her eyes and grabs her drink before moving over to the woman. One day she was going to use this as blackmail. The time where she got the suave Derek Morgan a date. Well, a girl for the night. She smiles at the woman.

"Hey."

The woman looks at her like she's insane and she might be. "Uh… I'm not…. I mean, I'm flattered, but…"

Elle snorts. "Oh god no. You see that fine black man by the bar?"

She waits until the woman's eyes reach Derek. "He's been watching you all night, but he's a little shy to come over and say hello, so…I thought I could introduce you to him."

The girl agrees and Elle introduces the two before winking at the man and paying her tab. If Derek was going to get a little lovin' tonight, why shouldn't she either? She leaves bar, pulling her phone out to call Spencer.

There's a loud knock on the door and Spencer grunts. "Derek?'

"Probably."

He grunts again, pulling the blanket over his head. She laughs at the movement. If she were him, she wouldn't want to get up and face Derek again after last time. She pulls on a shirt and bottoms before making her way to the door. She's greeted to Derek's large grin.

"Someone got laid?" She muses, watching Derek come in. He does a funny little dance and she leans against the closed down, watching him, amused.

"Someone got laid, indeed." He says after his little dance. She shakes her head with a chuckle.

"Well, Derek, as happy as I am for you, I still have a chance to get laid again, so if we could discuss this later…." She trails off, her hand moving back to the door.

He looks disgusted for a moment, but it doesn't last too long, his joy over masking the disgust. "It's all good. I had my fun, you have yours. All in all, it's a good night!"

She laughs and reopens the door. He smiles and wraps his arms around her, surprising. She wraps an arm around his neck. "Good night, Derek." She says softly.

"Thank you." He says before he pulls away, giving her the same 100 watt smile.

She rolls her eyes at him, but smiles nonetheless. "Good night, Derek."

She lets him out before turning back to the bed room to see Spencer, standing there in his pants. He's pulling on his shirt and she frowns.

"And where do you think you're going, chico?" She asks, stepping up to him.

"It's almost four, I should be-" He doesn't finish his sentence, his mouth moves against his neck, stopping any suggestion of leaving.