They lay there for awhile not saying a word. It wasn't lost on Derek that his wife had stiffened in his embrace. With his arm securely around her middle, his hand on her stomach, his face buried on the crook of her neck, he wasn't going to let her go. He knew that she wasn't sleeping, despite how hard she was trying, he doubted either of them would be sleeping at all that night. Derek felt her tremble and knew that she was crying. He moved his body closer and pulled her tightly against him.

"I'm sorry Baby Girl. Tell me how I can fix this?" he begged, his heart breaking at the thought of the pain he had put her through, that she doubted him and what they had.
"I don't think there's anything you can do Derek." She answered, her voice laced with disappointment and anguish
"Please P, it kills me to see you like this. That you doubt me, you doubt us. It's always been you and only you that I've ever wanted. I'm sorry it took me so long to figure that out, and I am sorry that I've made you doubt that, but believe me I don't want anyone else but you. I don't want anything else but what we have. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, the good parts and the bad. I'm sorry I pulled away. I'm sorry I made you feel less than my best friend, because P, you are my best friend. I'm sorry about Tamara. I guess a part of me liked that someone needed and depended on me,"
"And what Derek, you don't think that we, or I need and depend on you?"
"P you're the most capable person I know." He answered softly.
"And you think because I'm capable I don't need you? Derek you promised before we got married that we would be partners. Now I know the whole Mac thing threw you off, but I have never put him before you. I have never run to him instead of you. As soon as I became aware that it could possibly hurt us, I took a step back."
"And I hate that I made you do that." Penelope turned to face him, acutely aware that he had only loosened his grip long enough to allow her to do that.
"But you didn't. It was my choice and I have no regrets about it, because I did it for us. I love Mac, I miss him, he's like my brother, but he understands, and I know deep down that he will always be there. But it seems you don't have the same faith in me that I have in you. Instead of talking to me, you still hide. You still keep it to yourself like you're protecting me, but all you're doing is re-iterating that you don't want to share that part of your life with me, but being married is about sharing all parts, not just the good parts." Derek brought his forehead to hers.
"I didn't mean to Baby Girl. I promise you. The instinctive nature of wanting to protect you, let's say have multiplied since we got together, and more so after we got married. I tried so hard to shield you from what I thought was unnecessary and it only drove you away. That was never my intention."
"If this is going to work Derek, you need to meet me half way, and not because I'm telling you to, but because you want to."
"I want to P. Give me a chance to make this right."
"I don't want you to do this because it's the right thing to do Derek. I'm giving you an out now."
"Penelope, I do not want an out. I want this to work. I promise you that. Please P." Penelope met his gaze and nodded
"Derek, I can't do this with you again." She confessed as tears fell from her eyes.
"I can't promise you that I won't ever hurt you again. You know I would never hurt you intentionally, but Baby Girl I am going to prove to you we're partners in this."
"Okay," she agreed in a whisper as Derek cupped her face with his hands bringing his lips to hers.
"I love you Baby Girl. Heart and Soul I love you."