Chapter 21

AN: Thanks so much for the reviews; they make me smile!...

Penelope looked around the room, holding the controller for the smart screen in the room. She smiled a little at Derek but he didn't notice; he was still glaring at Rossi for the comment he'd made. She shook her head, and then began presenting.

"Six women were found strangled outside of the University of North Dakota in Fargo. All three women were students there. The attacks appeared to be random in nature."

"Fargo," Rossi said, stroking his beard. "Not a very highly populated city—"

"Around one hundred six thousand," Reid supplied.

Seaver stared at him, a perplexed look on her face. "You know the population of Fargo off the top of your head? How—"

Emily interrupted her by placing her hand on her arm. "Don't ask," she said in a stage whisper. "You don't want to know."

"A string of these things happening in a city with that few people would raise suspicion," Derek added.

"Exactly, my prince," Penelope said. "Then they looked into the victims' histories; they were all EMT or nursing students."

"Why nurses?" Prentiss questioned.

"Originally, no one knew," Hotch said. "They began questioning the co-eds on the campus. There were two other women that were near misses, following the same M.O."

"Near misses?" Rossi asked.

Hotch said, "A man was unconscious on the side of the road. When the women went to help, responding to what looked like an emergency, the attacker reached up and choked them."

Seaver narrowed her eyes in thought. "So the women would shake the attacker, like we're taught to approach victims, and it turned them into victims, instead?"

"I'm going to use my foot from now on," Prentiss remarked. "A good boot; 'Hey buddy, you all right?'"

"Actually, that is what First Responder classes are teaching now," Reid added. "Secure the scene first."

"God, that's awful," Seaver said. "They did a good Samaritan act, and now they're dead."

"Not very uncommon," Reid replied. "Ted Bundy used an injured guise to lure his victims."

"And these women have to respond; they're obligated to do it," Morgan said.

"There is one other catch," Penelope said. "The two survivors identified two completely different men. Size, weight, everything. Exact same M.O., completely different appearance. Either he's a yo-yo dieter switching from high heels to flats, which is not easy, or..."

"It's two people," Hotch concluded.

Rossi moved his chair away from the table and looked at Hotch. "I guess we're going to Fargo."

Prentiss rolled her eyes, obviously not thrilled. "Goody."

"Any luck?" Penelope asked, purring over the phone to Derek. She was filing in her office and had him on speaker phone. He'd been gone three days now, and she missed him more than she'd ever thought possible.

He grumbled. "Not a thing, Baby Girl. We're at a complete dead end."

"That's not what I wanted to hear," she said, knowing she sounded petulant. "I want you home with me."

"I know, sweetheart," he said. "I miss you, too. Once I get there, you won't be able to get me out of your sight. I'll be all over you...under you...behind you..."

"Derek," she said with a gasp, quickly slapping the phone to take him off speaker. "Behave..."

His low laugh sent tingles up her spine. "Since when do I ever behave?"

"Just be safe and come home. Quickly," she replied calmly, intending to dispel any tension. She didn't want to be aroused when he was gone; that seemed counterproductive!

"P," he began, his tone a low growl, "don't you worry: I'll be coming very quickly once I get home..."

Fine, he wanted to play, she'd play...

She giggled, a naughty little laugh, meaning to provoke him like he'd provoked her. "Oh, me, too...I've become accustomed to our lovemaking; I'm having a hard time sleeping without you."

"That's not good, angel," he said in a hypnotic, soothing tone.

Turning up her dirty girl meter to overdrive, she dropped her voice and said, "I'm achy for you, Derek...Like a bomb, baby...set to explode."

"Penelope, now who needs to behave?" he warned, but he didn't sound at all upset.

One more notch, she thought wickedly, and said, "I need you, lover...I lay alone and try to pretend it's you touching me. Slow hands over my breasts, down my belly, fingers touching between my legs..."

She heard his sharp intake of breath and put her fingers over her mouth to keep from giggling. Direct hit.

"But alas," she said with a dramatic sigh. "I still need you here. I'm not that good at pretending."

"Damn, girl, I—yeah, Hotch, I'll be there in a minute," he said, and then sighed heavily. "I got to go, honey. They found something."

"Ooh! Wonderful," she said, all business again. "I'll hang up right now, and—"

"Hey, silly girl," he interrupted. All hints of teasing were gone as he said, "I love you."

"I love you, too," she answered, her heart soaring in her chest yet again, like it always did when he said those words to her. She was still smiling when she ended the call.

Two more days, and Penelope finally got the call she was waiting for around seven PM.

Sort of.

"Baby, we caught them," he said. "They're in custody."

"Hooray for our team!" she squealed excitedly. "Score a point for the good guys; we won."

He chucked. "You bet your sweet ass we won. These two were damned creepy."

The UnSubs turned out to be two brothers: one slightly older, who called the shots, acting out his anger against his ex-wife—a nurse—and one younger brother that mimicked him perfectly in his rapes and killings. It was no loss to society to see those two locked up.

"You're coming home to me?" Penelope asked, knowing she sounded as eager and lonesome as she felt.

"Sorry, baby," he said tenderly, disappointment clear in his tone. "I have to wrap things up with the team, and because there are two of them, it could be very late before I get back to Quantico."

She couldn't help it; she whined her disapproval. "Derek..."

"I know, my angel girl. I'd be back in a heartbeat if I could help it," he replied.

"Curse your dedication, Hot Stuff..."

"Come now...You love me for it," he said, a tease in his voice.

"I do," she grumbled, but gently. "I'll leave a light on for you."

She heard him sigh happily. "I know."

Later that night, Penelope was exhausted—bone tired—and yet, she couldn't sleep. She'd riled herself up, so excited while waiting for Derek to come home. She missed him so terribly. She just wanted to hold him in her arms, welcome him home. She didn't even need to make love to him; she just needed to be by him.

He'd been gone far longer on cases before, but it was different now. Before, she would miss him terribly and celebrate when he came home. Now, it felt as if her heart left when he boarded that BAU jet.

She knew the difference was being in love. Totally, completely, head over heels in love.

Penelope thinks of Derek.

"Damn."

She gasped and her eyes flew open to see Derek leaning in the doorway.

With a look that brooked no argument, he said, "That is the hottest fucking thing I have ever seen."

For More of this chapter, please see my profile!