Disclaimer: I own nothing but the triumph of this plot bunny!

A/N: Okay, so in reality this is coming to an end... partly because the story is going that way and partly because the muse has run for the summer! You never know what might happen!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- If It Hadn't Been For Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Whatcha reading, Baby Girl?" Derek asked as he stood in the doorway, holding a smile after watching her just sit there reading.

Penelope looked up and smiled, "Just horoscopes." She muttered and placed the magazine down on her stomach, "Yes, my life has downgraded to that."

Chuckling, Derek went over to her and sat down, "So what's today's say?"

"Let's see," Penelope said picking up the magazine, "Oh would you look at that," she said teasingly, "You will get the best kiss of your life today."

Giving her a wink, Derek leaned in then and kissed her heavily and greedily. He felt her hand come up to keep the kiss going for a moment longer, before he pulled away and watched her. Her eyes closed, he watched her lick her lips in satisfaction.

"Best ever," She whispered, her lips bruised from the kiss and she smiled as she let her eyes open and Derek relaxed, putting his arm over her lap and holding himself up over her. "I don't regret anything that happened, Derek. You do know that right?"

Nodding, Derek brought a hand up to cradle the side of her face, "I told you we'd get through it all, as long as we had one another." He told her, his tone holding the truth vigilantly, "I promised you that, and I'm going to make a new promise to you."

"Oh yeah?" She queried, one of her eyebrows going up questioningly. "What would that be?"

"To cherish you and thank God for giving me you every day that I'm alive," He spoke gently, but confidence exuded from him. "I know what I want in my life more now than I ever did and, Baby, you best believe they involve a big ring and you."

Blushing, Penelope felt like all words were taken from her. She had no way to communicate but to gawp at Derek in shock.

"Don't give me that look like you didn't think it was going to happen, Sweetness," Derek told her and gave her one of his killer smiles. "We don't go through what we did, love letters and near deaths for us to just coexist. We've always been bound by some force, and we ignored it. If we carry on being ignorant we might not get a second chance like we did here."

"I think we passed second chances the amount of times you've taken on an Unsub," Penelope finally spoke up and gave him a look of sarcasm.

"Okay, but one day, Princess, we're going to run out of chances. I refuse to get to that point. I don't want to hang around waiting for the right moment. Only we make those."

"Then promise me one day I can marry you and have that happily ending you promised me in that letter." Was all she seemed to ask of him, "Make that future with me that you want."

"One day, I will marry you, Penelope Garcia and it will be the best day of your life." Derek told her and kissed her again, the culminating emotion and passion pouring out into that one motion. Derek showed her the promise of the words and finally locked his heart away with her keeping.

Separating, Derek moved to sit next to her, needing to feel her next to him. He got under the quilts fully dressed and just settled down. "This is perfect," He said, sleep already capturing him.

Smiling, Penelope took his hand as she settled down again, ignoring the magazine completely now, "Long day?"

"Too long," He said as he turned to face her, "It's not Quantico," He said with his eyes closed, his tone slipping more and more. "I think I'm just gonna rest my head here a while," Derek mumbled as he felt his exhaustion claim him.

Penelope kissed the side of his head as he lay it on her gently and she smiled as she felt him get heavier. She would die to get this domestic bliss to last forever.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- If It Hadn't Been For Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"I fall asleep, and wake up to find you gone," Derek said as he came into the kitchen and placed his arms around Penelope's waist as she stood sorting out vegetables, "You shouldn't be cooking."

"I'm healing," Penelope told him back as he kissed into her neck, "Not a complete invalid." She said and shifted in his arms, "Today is showing progress, believe me."

"But this will just pull you right back," Derek responded truthfully.

"Handsome, I've been laid up for over two weeks here now, today; I've been in isolation, all on my own, for like three hours. There is only so much daytime TV a girl can watch while waiting on an Adonis to come home to her."

Laughing, Derek pulled her in and gave her a kiss, "I really fancy take out tonight, Sweet Thing. That way I get to just lap up more time with you." He heard her giggle a little as a yawn took over.

"Aww is my baby boy still tired?" She said putting her arms around his neck.

"Tired is an understatement, believe me." Derek replied and pulled her over to the couch, "But tomorrow we have your check up to see how well you're finally healing and the rest of the day's ours. So today I want to rest up with you, have a few cuddles, some kisses."

Penelope smiled, although not entirely convincingly. Sure Derek's new job was opening up new routes for him. However, he was working worse shifts, if that was possible, and was only tiring out. With that said, she loved having a fresh start and she could feel herself healing from what had happened. Hers and Derek's relationship had definitely mended over the passing weeks and they had become closer than ever.

All Penelope knew was that whatever happened at the end of Derek's probation period would be right for the pair of them. Whether it be staying or going back.

Sitting down, and snuggling close, Derek kissed her temple, "You know it's going to be fine. You have nothing to be worried about."

Penelope shifted then and looked up at him, "What about the scars?" She asked him lowly, "I can't hide from the fact that what he did left more than subtle reminders."

"Let's not call them scars, Baby."

"Then what do we call them, Derek? Because whatever way you paint them they're still scars."

Lifting her chin to make her look at him before he spoke, he waited for their eye contact to connect. "They're war wounds. Signs of what you survived, that whatever he inflicted or tried, you were the one that beat him."He saw her eyes water and her lips go to doubt him. "And," he started, "they show the start of us. Each of those were brought about as a result of both of us. Andrew said it himself. He was trying to break you to tell him what I had that made you love me. Well it was courage, and survival, and bravery, and love. I'll look at each and every one of those and understand just how much I am loved by you. I will never forget how deep in your veins I am ever again"

Penelope felt the tears course down her face then.

"So you see, you could never be scarred by what he did to you. That's an ugly word for you, and you're too far off of that to be associated in any form." He wiped the tear away and smiled gently, "You're too beautiful."

Penelope gave him a watery smile, her tears glistening with thicker tears, "Remind me again why I keep you around?"

"Simple," Derek whispered and kissed her gently this time. Pulling apart he put his forehead to hers and stole her gaze, "Because I am madly, deeply and truly in love with you, Penelope."

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- If It Hadn't Been For Love -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-