Home of Derek Morgan – Evening –

Derek walked into his house alone. Even after all that had happened, he wanted to see Penelope on the other side of the door waiting for him or walking on his arm as he walked up the steps and placed his key in the door. But he was alone, and the house was dark and cold, not because the lights were off or because he hadn't been there in two weeks, it was because Penelope was the light of his life, and she was his heartbeat and made his life make sense.

Derek dropped his go-bag at the door and headed toward the kitchen. He hadn't eaten much during his time away and his refrigerator was empty, so he grabbed a beer and headed back toward the den and flipped on the tv. Just as he got comfortable on the couch the doorbell rang.

Home of Penelope Garcia –

"Shouldn't you be home with Will and my god children, JJ?" Whined Penelope.

"He knows I had to drive you home, so there."

"Yes, drive me home, as in pull into the driveway and let me out, not follow me in with an agenda to convince me to talk to Derek."

"Garcia! C'mon, you two have been through too much to just let it go. Talk to him!"

"Talking won't change the fact that I found another woman's panties in his bedroom, JJ! He can't explain that away!"

JJ pulled her friend into a warm embrace. She didn't want to believe that Derek cheated but the evidence was indisputable.

"I'm so sorry, Garcie. You deserve better, I get it, it's just that you two seemed so happy."

Garcia pulled away and plopped down on the couch.

"We were happy, at least I was happy but as it turns out, I was just a big, fat fool!"

JJ took the seat next to her, calmly taking her hands in hers.

"You are a beautiful woman, and you deserve to be happy, and you are nobody's fool!"

"Thanks blondie, I appreciate you being here." Then standing and pulling JJ to her feet. "Go home. Go home to that gorgeous hunk of a man and those two amazing boys, they need to see you."

The two embraced again. There was nothing more that JJ could say that would make her friend feel better.

"Okay, I'll go but you have to promise me that if you need anything, you'll call me."

"Sure, I promise."

Home of Derek Morgan –

"Reid, what are you doing here, man?"

Reid walked past Derek into the house.

"No, please come on in." Derek said to himself.

"I thought I'd come check on you."

"It's late and besides you just saw me at the office. I'm fine."

"Really because you don't look fine and you're not acting like you're fine either."

Morgan walked into the kitchen and grabbed a beer, handing it to Reid.

"I'm not in the mood for a lecture, besides it won't matter after the first of the year."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm taking the job in New York."

Home of Tamara Barnes –

Tamara often wondered why Derek had stopped calling her. She knew his schedule was crazy and most of the time he was on a case that pulled him out of town, still, even those times when he was away, he would call her often. Then without explanation, his calls began tapering off until she only heard from him once or twice every four or five months. She suspected that there was someone else, but she didn't want to think that she could be replaced by anyone, especially with the likes of the bespeckled blonde she'd seen him with during her brother's murder case.

Flashback...

Corinne's Restaurant – Evening – 4 Months Ago –

Tamara checked her watch for the third time. She'd been stood up. What made it worse was that she was just being nice in agreeing to go to dinner with the poor pathetic man. He was handsome in a nerdy sort of way. Her only hope was to get him to stop calling and pleading for a date. So, after finally agreeing to meet the poor brute for dinner, she chose the most expensive place in town. Not only had she just finished her second glass of wine, but she'd ordered appetizers to occupy her time while she waited.

"What the hell?" She moaned when she saw them walk, hand in hand through the door.

She didn't want them to see her, not here and not alone. The answers to all her questions were answered in an instant. Tamara couldn't keep her eyes off Derek and the blonde on his arm. He looked at the woman as if he were a delirious schoolboy, never noticing the hostess who was drooling over the menus as she showed the couple to their table. All her silly daydreams of spending her nights and days with the handsome agent who had singlehandedly saved her life and her sanity, had been shattered.

Tamara pulled a wad of cash from her purse enough to pay the bill and a tip, dropping it on the bar and then nodding to the bartender. Once she was certain that the pair would not see her, she quickly left the restaurant dashing into the darkness and headed home. She was crushed even though she'd had her suspicions. If she could pretend that there was another reason for him not calling, she could preserve the bubble she had been living in but seeing it with her own eyes cut her deeply.

Sam was late, terribly late. The gorgeous brunette had finally agreed to go out with him, and she'd even allowed him to reschedule for a last-minute work emergency and he was late!

"Damn it!"

Sam rushed past several customers into the crowded restaurant. Disheveled and out of breath he nearly collided with the hostess just as she returned to her post.

"May I help you sir?"

Sam surveyed the room frantically before answering.

"Yes, yes, I'm looking for my party, I believe she should be here already."

"Name?"

"Sam. Sam Collier."

The hostess scanned her list which seemed to take hours, before looking up at him again.

"Sir, your party was here, waiting for you at the bar."

"Was?"

"Yes, was. She left about ten minutes ago."

Sam was frantic and disappointed. His eyes continued to scan the room as if perhaps the more-than-competent hostess could be wrong. That's when he saw them. All his suspicions and accusations levied at his former lover was right in front of him.

It was too much. Derek's hand was wrapped around Penelope's, and she was looking at him...looking at Derek like she'd never looked at him. No wonder she wouldn't reconsider their breakup. She'd even stopped taking his calls. Derek Morgan and Penelope were together now and worse, she was happy.

Flashback Ends.

Home of Sam Collier –

It was true what they said, that misery loved company. After his failed date with Tamara, Sam never expected to hear from her again, but when he called to apologize things took an unexpected turn. She was upset, he assumed it was because of him. He was relieved when he found out it wasn't. Now oddly enough, the two had formed an odd, twisted alliance to work as a team to get what and who they truly wanted.

The first part of their plan had worked but that was the easy part it seemed. Now to get the brokenhearted Penelope to take him back, may seem much harder. He knew he had to act fast, and he had to be persistent. So, taking a deep breath, Sam pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a familiar number. He missed Penelope, and finally he was ready to do whatever necessary to win her back.

Home of Tamera Barnes –

Tamara poured herself a glass of wine and settled on the couch, wrapping her small frame in the comforter nearby. He should be home now. Derek had texted her just before the jet took off and Tamara was anxious to hear his voice. Even though she was expecting his call, she jumped when her cell phone rang.

"You're late! Where are you?"

"Tamara, I'm sorry..."

"Sorry? I'm beginning to think that tardiness is just one of your character traits."

"I'll make it up to you, I promise, okay?"

"When have I heard that before, Sam?"

Sam exhaled on the other end and waited for her to begin again.

"I'm sorry, I'm not mad at you I was hoping it was Derek calling, that's all."

"Are they back?" He asked anxiously.

"He texted me from the jet but that was hours ago. He should be home by now."

"He'll call don't worry. You should just turn in for the night. It's pretty late, I'm sure he'll call in the morning."

"I hope you're right." She was lost in thought for a moment. "I'm just tired of sleeping alone, you know?"

"Yeah, I know. So am I." Then, hopefully. "You want some company? No sense in both of us being alone tonight."

"I'll leave a light on, and the key is under the mat."

"I'm on my way."