A/N: So, I'm posting this now because I'm going out tonight, glug glug, woohooo! :D But could someone clear this up for me, when is the next ep of CM? Because apparently it's not until the 20th and that is not good :/ What will I watch for 3 weeks?! :o

Chapter 20

…...

Walking into the bar with wayyy more confidence than she actually felt, she forced herself to keep her head up, a big, albeit fake smile plastered onto her face. She'd spent an inordinate amount of time getting herself ready for tonight, assuring herself it had nothing to do with the fact that Derek might be there. No, she just felt like pampering herself and looking nice.

Riiiiggghhttt, and anytime now she was gonna start tackling unsubs in her 5 inch heels.

Of course, the well manicured front she was projecting was slightly dented when she scanned around looking for her friends, only for her eyes to fall upon none other than Derek Morgan leaning against the bar, obviously enjoying the attentions of no less than 3 stunningly beautiful woman, all of whom were twirling hair around their fingers, sucking seductively on the straws in their drinks and batting their eyelashes at him in an age-old ritual designed to get his attention.

Looked as if it was working, she scoffed to herself, desperately trying to keep the hurt from her eyes and despairing when she realised that it wasn't going to work. Especially not as she made her way over to the team, who were all squished around a booth, and caught sight of the sympathy looks they were throwing her way.

So what, she coached herself, they knew she'd been...sleeping with Morgan, and they obviously knew that he'd moved on. Well, she was a damned Goddess. She didn't need their pity, and she sure as hell didn't need him!

She forceably widened the smile on her face as she detoured towards the bar...the complete opposite side from him, obviously.

She could feel his eyes on her as she pushed herself through the crowd and lent forward, giving the bartender an excellent view of her assets. It worked as she'd hoped it would, as he ignored the other patrons waving bills at him and practically fell over his own two feet to get to her. It was the first time she'd laughed since she'd walked into the BAU to find Tamara there, and she gave the boy a genuinely amused smile.

He blushed and got her order in double time, insisting that it was on him. She winked and turned around, to find Morgan standing only inches away.

Surprised, she gasped and almost spilt the fruity concoction she was sipping on. He was glowering, his eyes dark and stormy. 'Baby Girl, you know it's never a good idea to make me jealous. It won't end well.'

She steeled her resolve, determined not to let him see that he was affecting her, and scoffed at him. 'You know, not everything is about you, you know. I wasn't trying to do anything, I was getting a drink. Not that you'd notice, you were...otherwise occupied.'

She nodded in the direction of his discarded companions, all of whom were now looking at them in curiosity and with some degree of defeat..the handsome man was obviously taken, they'd have to look for company elsewhere.

He raised an eyebrow. 'Otherwise occupied? Sweetness, they're just window dressing. I like you much better.'

He gave her a wolfish smile as she cleared her throat nervously. Well, this was definitely a turn around from this afternoon. He seemed more like himself than he had since they'd split, and she wondered what it meant. Maybe they could go back after all, and be close again.

'Of course you do, hot stuff. But, you know, you have to sow your oats somewhere. You need to meet someone...you know, settle down. Getting old, baby boy, you can't leave it much longer.'

His relaxed demeanour shifted in an instant, and he glared at her. 'I don't need to meet someone, I've already found her, only she's being a stubborn pain in my ass.' He hissed, before stalking away from her, slamming a bill on the bar and ordering another drink.

She watched him go, breathing deeply. Oh dear, this wasn't good, not good at all. Obviously, they weren't going to be able to be friends like she'd hoped, and he'd apparently decided that she no longer had a choice in the matter. This was all the time he'd give her. It was now or never, she had to decide whether to be all in, or let him go...for good.

…...

Little more than 20 minutes later, she'd rejoined the team at the booth, although with the limited number of seats around the table she and JJ were having to stand, but she was still relaxing and trying to have a good time.

Derek had been glaring at her for a good 10 minutes, she'd caught him out of the corner of her eye, glowering at everyone who got within a 5 feet of him, although, she mused, he must have calmed down a little because there was yet another polished young woman, thrusting her chest into his face and giggling like a school girl, hoping to have him eating out of the palm of her hand.

Garcia scoffed to herself, wondering if that young girl knew exactly what she was getting into, Morgan didn't eat out of anyone's hand, and he had very specific needs, ones she doubted the child could meet. Not like me, she thought jealously, I know exactly what he likes and how to please him.

She had to physically shake her head to get rid of the silly thoughts, and unfortunately caught sight of Derek smirking at the woman, that same smirk she'd seen hundreds of times before. It was the same smirk he'd used when he'd been enticing her into his bed, and she had no doubt that it's affect would be the same on the girl. Oh God. What was she going to do if he left with her?

Tear drops pricked her eyes and she blinked rapidly, looking away from him as she felt her heart break all over again.

Of course, when you were already down, there was always someone there, waiting in the wings to give you an extra kick.

This kick came in the form of one Kevin Lynch, looking especially smug on the arm of a woman she vaguely recognised as another tech from the pool. He'd followed her line of sign, laughing snidely when he saw what had gotten her upset. 'Well, well. Look at that. This was your great love story? Five minutes and he's already discarded you for a younger model?'

She tossed her well groomed hair back across her shoulders and stood tall. 'Just leave Kevin, please. I don't want another argument.'

He ignored her and scoffed, glaring at her. 'Not that I really blame him, I mean come on, Pen, you're not exactly...much to look at, are you?'

She deflated again. So she'd done wrong, she knew that, but how much more was she supposed to take? JJ wrapped an arm around her shoulders and shot him a furious flare. 'I think you should listen to her and go, Kevin. You're not welcome here.'

He failed to notice the entire team around that little booth, glaring at him in unison as they got more and more irate.

'Oh, please, JJ, like you didn't see this coming.' He turned back to Penelope again. 'Yeh, I heard about him and his bitch of a girlfriend...I guess you just weren't as good as you thought, huh?'

He'd also, it seemed, failed to notice the extremely large, extremely strong, extremely furious Derek Morgan standing right behind him, as had everyone else, until he gripped Lynch by the upper arm and shot his fist right into his mouth. Penelope gasped, watching as Derek wrapped a hand around the smaller man's throat tightly. 'What did I tell you, Lynch? What did I fucking tell you? I told you to stay away from her, didn't I? One little thing, and you can't even get that right. She's mine. Before, still, and forever, do you hear me? Are you getting it yet? You need to accept that you're not what she needs and stay the fuck away from her! Look at her.'

He moved the jaw in his hand forcefully in Penelope's direction, and his voice dropped to a whisper as he struggled to pull his own eyes away from the erotic picture she presented, with wide eyes and flushed cheeks, biting on her bottom lip in anticipation. 'Have you ever seen her look like that for you, Lynch? She's already wet for me. I make her so hot she can't stand up straight. Together or apart, the bond we have is unbreakable. Leave her the fuck alone, if I have to tell you one more time, you will regret it.'

He pushed Kevin away from him in disgust, and without stopping to so much as look at the team, who were all gaping in shock, he gripped Garcia's elbow gently and pulled her close, leading her to the exit.

Penelope struggled to look up at him, even in her heels. 'Derek, where are you taking me?'

His long stride didn't stop as he answered her, bundling her into his SUV. 'We are going to our home, to our bed. That's where we're going.'