Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Thank you so much for all the reviews everyone! I'm so glad you're still enjoying this story :) We're progressing right along with the timeline in this story, so I hope you'll like it. We've got a little way to go before the ending. Also, the 175th reviewer gave me their prompt, so that oneshot will be up soon and I'll be posting it then. Enjoy and review if you have a moment!

February

Penelope was sitting in her usual coffee shop on Thursday evening, her nose shoved in her biology textbook. Covering her shoulders and keeping her arm was Derek's leather jacket he had lent her all those months ago. Somehow it never ended up back with him, and when they got together, it was pointless to return it. They were together now; he would get it back eventually.

She smiled to herself as she rested her chin on her hands and stared out the window at the dull gray day. The weather may have been cold and miserable this winter, but everything was warm for Penelope. She couldn't remember a time when she was happier. In addition to her school year going fabulously, her relationship was going brilliantly. Derek had become more than her boyfriend. He was her confidante, her support, her best friend. She never knew what it would be like to be best friends with the person she loved, but right then she knew.

Sighing, she brought her coffee cup up to her lips and tightened Derek's jacket around her frame. She inhaled the woodsy scent of him and grinned even wider. It may have a few months after her relationship had started, but she still found herself smiling randomly and would find little bursts of happiness would fill her heart. Little electrical currents raced through her body constantly, reminding her that her life was completely and utterly…normal. It was like a novel. She never thought this sort of happiness was real, but it was for her now.

As she got back to work jotting down scientific definitions on flashcards, Emily and Spencer entered the shop. A grin lit up her face and she waved them over. The two split: Emily going to order coffee for her and Spencer, while he went to join Penelope.

"Hey Reidy-kins," Penelope chirped, moving her bag out of the way to make room for him and his full-to-bursting backpack. "You ready for that bio test tomorrow?"

He fixed her with a look. "Garcia, I have an eidetic memory," he said. "I think I'll be fine."

She stuck her tongue out. "Yeah, yeah," she huffed. "Rub it in." Leaning forward, she ruffled his hair, much to his chagrin.

His hair fell in his face and a boyish grin covered his face. "If you need my help, just ask."

Tweaking his nose, she laughed. "I'll be sure to let you know," she said, picking up her pen once more.

"Alright, comrades," Emily said, sitting down at the end of the table, sliding one of the two coffee cups over to Spencer. "We're going to get to work! This biology test? We're going to make it our bitch!"

"How colorfully put," Penelope remarked with a snicker.

Emily grinned cheekily. "But truthful. Completely truthful."

As Penelope started sipping from her coffee cup and getting her things out, Emily stopped what she was doing to tilt her head to the side. Penelope tried ignoring her friend's probing stare. Eventually the feel of Emily's eyes caused her to in fidget with discomfort. Emily had the ability to do that, to look at someone and identify every problem or issue plaguing them. It was a crazy super power that never ceased to amaze Penelope. Finally she dropped her pen, she raised her eyes to meet Emily's. Arching a brow, she asked, "What? Spit it out, drummer girl."

Emily smirked. "You," she stated bluntly. "You look like a freakin' sunflower. I swear, you look like you've got a…I don't know, I pregnancy glow or something."

Penelope blushed. "Well if you're asking if I'm pregnant, the answer is hell no," she said hastily. "I'm just…really pleased with myself. Like you said, this bio test is going to be our bitch."

"Uh-huh," Emily said, chewing on the end of her pen. She snickered. "I wouldn't put pregnancy glow off the table still, I think."

Spencer cleared his throat uncomfortably. "So as fascinating as a pregnancy glow on Garcia would be, I —"

"Why are you two so obsessed with the idea that I look to be pregnant?" Penelope asked in exasperation. "Like seriously, do you all have some unconscious desire to see me bloated and huge?"

Emily laughed. "Oh, lord! You know, you and Derek would make the most —"

"Really?" Penelope cried, throwing her hands up in the air. "Did Reid not just say we should be getting to work?"

Spencer shook his head. "Actually, I never finished saying anything," he pointed out.

Penelope shot him a look that turned to a glare when he clearly had a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. "Not helping," she snapped. "Look, can we just study? You two can giggle like schoolgirls about me and the pregnancy — that I won't be having for at least another ten to fifteen years — later."

Emily laughed. "Oh, we will," she giggled as they started getting to work.

Around two hours later, while they were still working, Spencer nudged Penelope's shin with his toe. She didn't bother looking up from her writing. "Yeah?" she asked, scribbling away.

"Garcia, Derek just pulled up," he said, nudging her with his toe again.

Surprised, Penelope looked up. The only reason Derek would be here was because she was there, and they hadn't spoken today because she told him today was going to be spent with her friends studying. She furrowed her brow in confusion as he jogged up to the doors of the coffee shop and entered. He stomped coal-hued slush off his shoes and looked up, gazing around, searching for Penelope. Their eyes met, and a grin spread across his face, cheek to cheek. In his hands he held an envelope that the top had been torn off of.

"Hey, Baby," she said as he leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips. "What's going?"

"Hi guys," he said breathlessly, waving at them all. Derek was exuding happiness as he pulled up a chair from the table behind them. "I know you guys are studying, but I had to come and find you!" His smile was only growing as he held out the letter for her to see. "You have to see this!"

"What is it?" she asked, pulling the crisp and professional paper out. At the top of the page was the crest for Northwestern University and she scanned down the page hurriedly. Her eyes grew wide and she covered her mouth. Looking up to meet Derek's eyes again, she shoved the paper onto the table and threw her arms around his neck to hug him tightly. "Oh my God, Derek! This is amazing!" she cried happily.

"What is it?" Spencer asked curiously.

Penelope pulled back from Derek to explain, but her eyes remained glued to Derek's. Pride filled her heart as she spoke. "He got a full scholarship to Northwestern," she breathed, leaning forward to kiss him gently. "Congratulations, Mocha Thor."

"It wouldn't have happened without you," he said honestly, his eyes shining with his compassion for her. "Seriously, that English tutoring saved this scholarship."

She winked and touched his cheek. "You are very welcome." Sitting up straighter, she clapped her hands. "We have to find a way to celebrate!"

Emily cleared her throat in a rather unsubtle manner as she and Spencer began packing their things. Penelope's head moved to look at them and she frowned at their actions. "Er, what are you guys doing?" she asked. She frowned. "We're supposed to be studying. We haven't even gotten to the lipids part yet or —"

"Garcia, we have successfully made this biology test our bitch," Emily said smugly, a twinkle shining in her eyes as she looked at Penelope. Her lips were were twitching, a clear sign that she was trying to hold in a smile. "Reid and I are gonna go to the record store. You two kids have fun."

Penelope was going to protest, but her friends were already waving and heading towards the door. Shrugging, Penelope turned to Derek again and rested her forehead against his. "I'm so happy for you, Derek," she murmured. "This is great."

"Thanks, Baby Girl." He turned around momentarily to look at the couch. "The couch is open. You wanna move over there?" he asked. She gave him a "well, duh!" look and he laughed. "I'll take that as a yes." They moved over to the couch and went into their usual cuddling position when they were sitting on the couch. She wrapped her arms around his waist and he rested his chin on her head.

For several minutes they sat and chatted, exchanging words on what his mother thought and how her studying had been going. Their conversation was quiet and hushed, both of them basking in being with the other and shutting out the rest of the world.

While they were sitting on the couch, the door opened and two people who neither of them wanted to see entered. Matt Cruz held the door open while Jordan Todd walked in, a haughty expression covering her face. Since their breakup and Penelope and Derek's relationship beginning, the presence of Jordan had not been felt by either of them. She stayed away from them, and Derek was no longer friends with Matt due to his betrayal of him. Neither of them had to deal with Jordan's former girlfriend or football friend. But as soon as they caught sight of Penelope and Derek, there was sure to be something said.

Jordan saw Penelope and Derek sitting on the couch, her eyes narrowing to harsh slits. A cloud of rage took over her face, and even as she ordered her drink, she kept her gaze trained towards them. Penelope observed the look in the other girl's eye and had to force herself to suppress a shiver. There was an aura of crazy that Jordan was oozing making her nervous. Jordan grabbed Matt's arm as they headed to the drink counter and snidely whispered something in his ear that caused him to look towards Derek and Penelope. An aggressive and taunting expression overtook Cruz's face, and he sneered at them.

Penelope felt Derek tense beneath her and noticed how he went deathly silent all of the sudden. Her eyes flicked to Derek's hand that was at his side was clenching into a fist. She leaned up from leaning her head on her chest and fixed him with a look. "No," she said. "Leave it alone."

"I don't know what she's saying, but —"

"Exactly! We don't know what she's saying," Penelope said. "Forget them. They're assholes."

Derek looked down at her, irritation filling his features. "They don't get to say shit about us when it was them who did something wrong," he growled. "She cheated on me, and he was supposed to be my friend, but he does it anyway. Even worse, she's an unholy bitch to everyone around her."

"But you're not going to say anything," she said. "Seriously. We don't need to get into this." While he sat stewing beside her, she sighed. "Baby, I know you're upset and you want to say something, but can't we just…ignore them?"

Muttering in defeat, Derek kissed her forehead. "For you, I'll do it," he said softly.

She smiled, took his hand, and pulled his face down to kiss her. "And just because we're not saying anything to them, doesn't mean we can't make Jordan realize what she's missing," she whispered against his lips.

"I'm glad this is okay," he laughed, kissing her more fiercely, both of them laughing against the other's lips.

"You liking being my replacement?" Jordan sneered, breaking the moment between them. Both Penelope and Derek looked up at her as she and Matt were putting sugar in their coffee. A snicker erupted from her lips. "My less attractive, not nearly good enough replacement?" Matt laughed along with her.

Derek looked ready to leap to his feet and start a war in her honor, but Penelope put her hand to his chest and shook her head, telling her she had this. Looking back to Jordan, she cocked her head to the side. "Replacement? If I were anything it would have to be an upgrade," she said. "Better than that though, I don't treat Derek like shit." She smiled sweetly at Jordan's incredulous glare. "So back the hell off and leave us alone."

With a look of unbarred fury, Jordan dug her nails into Matt's jacket and dragged him along behind her. "C'mon Matt," she hissed, storming out of the coffee shop, her feet stomping like a petulant toddler's.

Once they were gone, Penelope looked back up at Derek and grinned at his perplexed face. "Problem solved," she said with a definitive nod.

A huge grin covered his face. "That's my girl," he said proudly, kissing her softly on the lips.